PRESORTED STANDARD PERMIT #3036 WHITE PLAINS NY
Vol. V No. XXXIV
Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My Next iPhone Page 6
Perchance to Dream Page 12
Kennedy’s Legacy Page 17
Freshly Minted Deevy Page 21
Remembering the Legacy of
9/11
By Robert Scott, Page 19 westchesterguardian.com
Irene and the Lexus CT Page 22
Norway
Page 23
Red Light Cameras Page 28
We Have the Power, Page 30
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
Of Significance Community Section....................................................................2 Best Small Towns.....................................................................2 Books.........................................................................................4 Business.....................................................................................6 Calendar....................................................................................8 Economic Development...........................................................8 Education................................................................................10 Humor....................................................................................11 Education................................................................................12 Mental Health........................................................................14 Ed Koch Movie Reviews........................................................15 People......................................................................................16 Reflections...............................................................................17 History....................................................................................18 Sports......................................................................................20 Eye onTheatre........................................................................20 Shifting Gears.........................................................................22 Travel.......................................................................................23 Government Section................................................................25 Campaign Trail.......................................................................26 Investigation............................................................................26 OpEd Section............................................................................28 Weir Only Human.................................................................28 Letter to the Editor................................................................28 Ed Koch Commentary...........................................................30 Legal Notices.............................................................................33
Westchester’s Most Influential Weekly
Guardian News Corp. P.O. Box 8 New Rochelle, New York 10801 Sam Zherka , Publisher & President publisher@westchesterguardian.com Hezi Aris, Editor-in-Chief & Vice President whyteditor@gmail.com Advertising: (914) 562-0834 News and Photos: (914) 562-0834 Fax: (914) 633-0806 Published online every Monday Print edition distributed Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Graphic Design: Watterson Studios, Inc. wattersonstudios.com
westchesterguardian.com
CommunitySection America’s Best Small Towns
Money/CNN Rank Mamaroneck, Harrison, in Top 100 Places to Live—But How’s Business? By ROB SEITZ The September issue of Money magazine features its annual ranking of the “Best Places to Live – America’s Best Small Towns.” Two Westchester communities, Mamaroneck and Harrison, ranked #60 and #70 on the list, respectively, while nearby Nanuet and Pearl River came in close behind, ranking #76 and #78, accordingly. Mamaroneck was lauded for its being “a 35-minute train ride north of New York City… affluent … low crime rate, high-rated school system, and enviable location along the Long Island Sound. The town takes advantage of the latter by hosting an annual Harbor Fest on the marina, an event that
attracts tens of thousands of people.” But since this article is being written as Metro New York braces for Irene, how “enviable” is Mamaroneck’s location on the Long Island Sound is questionable, for now! Hopefully, concerns about the storm and not the storm itself will prove to have been blown out of proportion and everything will still be in one piece for the Chamber of Commerce’s “Spooktacular” Halloween event come October, a haunted house event that the Chamber’s leadership hopes will attract shoppers to the Village’s downtown. Continued on page 3
RADIO
Westchester On the Level with Narog and Aris NEW ROCHELLE, NY -- BlogTalkradio’s Westchester On The Level with co-hosts Richard Narog and Hezi Aris is heard from Monday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. Listen to the radio show by clicking onto thehyperlink: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/westchesteronthelevel, recognizing that we shamelessly solicit your participation. An on demand MP3 is available, as is a link to our archive of our daily programing at the above hyperlink. Updated notice will be posted on the Yonkers Tribune Website. Listeners can also direct email to co-host Hezi Aris at:WHYTeditor@gmail.com for possible use on the air, prior to or during the show.
Mission Statement
The Westchester Guardian is a weekly newspaper devoted to the unbiased reporting of events and developments that are newsworthy and significant to readers living in, and/ or employed in, Westchester County. The Guardian will strive to report fairly, and objectively, reliable information without favor or compromise. Our first duty will be to the PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO KNOW, by the exposure of truth, without fear or hesitation, no matter where the pursuit may lead, in the finest tradition of FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. The Guardian will cover news and events relevant to residents and businesses all over Westchester County. As a weekly, rather than focusing on the immediacy of delivery more associated with daily journals, we will instead seek to provide the broader, more comprehensive, chronological step-by-step accounting of events, enlightened with analysis, where appropriate. From amongst journalism’s classic key-words: who, what, when, where, why, and how, the why and how will drive our pursuit. We will use our more abundant time, and our resources, to get past the initial ‘spin’ and ‘damage control’ often characteristic of immediate news releases, to reach the very heart of the matter: the truth. We will take our readers to a point of understanding and insight which cannot be obtained elsewhere. To succeed, we must recognize from the outset that bigger is not necessarily better. And, furthermore, we will acknowledge that we cannot be all things to all readers. We must carefully balance the presentation of relevant, hard-hitting, Westchester news and commentary, with features and columns useful in daily living and employment in, and around, the county. We must stay trim and flexible if we are to succeed.
The Westchester Guardian
Best Small Towns
Money/CNN Rank Mamaroneck, Harrison, in Top 100 Places to Live—But How’s Business? Continued from page 2 When Mamaroneck is compared to the top ten communities on Money’s list, only top-ranked Louisville, CO has a lower local sales tax of 2.9% compared to Mamaroneck’s 4%. Alas, there’s no escaping the fact that the Town and Village of Mamaroneck are part of “Taxchester”. Nonetheless, its main commercial strip, Mamaroneck Ave., is thriving with mostly mom and pop shops and an increasingly international array of restaurants. With back-to-school shopping on the radar screen, the Avenue should be considered an attractive alternative to crowded malls. Harrison, Mamaroneck’s neighbor in fact and spirit on this closely-watched list by Realtors and homeowners, was described by Money’s reporter as an “affluent, carefully landscaped Westchester County town.” It got high-marks for its high-paying jobs at international corporations including PepsiCo, MasterCard and Morgan Stanley. Its public school system also won praise, particularly its high school. (And I can personally vouch for the high-quality of its elementary school strings program. Budding young virtuosos are taught by a world-class concert violinist who has performed on Broadway and in major music halls around the world. But in the spirit of full-disclosure, we date!) But how’s business in either town? What’s the biggest headache for retailers and government? Not enough parking. And no matter how many or how big a parking garage a municipality might build, spaces go empty as shoppers and diners everywhere would rather cruise up and down the main drag in search of a parking lot, burning up $4.00 a gallon gas. If they just ventured a block off of Mamaroneck Ave., for example, they would find plenty of
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When was the last time you dealt with Lexington Capital Associates?
Steve Josephson
empty spaces in the municipal lot. Harrison has big plans for 600 additional parking spaces, as well as retailing and rental apartments in the heart of its downtown, adjacent to its train station. Working in conjunction with the MTA, in the months ahead, town officials will be entertaining responses to an RFP issued July 8th for a “transit-oriented development” on a 3.3 acre parcel of land. A Q&A session for interested bidders attracted 73 developers, including some major names from outside the area. If all goes as planned a developer will be selected by the spring with construction anticipated to begin in summer 2012, according to Mayor and Town Supervisor Joan B. Walsh. Walsh and Village Attorney Bob Paladino acknowledge that the shopping selection in Harrison offers limited choices. “Bring me some tenants!” says Walsh. When asked Continued on page 4
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
Best Small Towns
Money/CNN Rank Mamaroneck, Harrison, in Top 100 Places to Live—But How’s Business? Continued from page 3 what the downtown really needs most, the first thing that comes to her mind is “a good place to hold breakfast meetings.” Walsh is unabashedly very bullish in her support of the prospect of Sloan-Kettering’s request to open a $130-million facility at 500 Westchester Ave. in former a Verizon facility. On the town’s official Web site she cuts right to the chase: “I want those tax dollars!” The new facility would also create an estimated 140 jobs. However, much of Westchester’s medical community has opposed Sloan-Kettering’s expansion into Westchester as being redundant of existing services. Walsh and Paladino also have their hearts racing over a done deal, the opening of Lifetime Fitness at One Gannett Plaza after the space is vacated by the newspaper publisher by the same name. Lifetime will demolish the existing building and construct a new 207,000 sq. ft. facility that will include three swimming pools, two basketball courts and a full-service spa, creating 200 new jobs in the process. It will bring some much-needed polish to the Platinum Mile whose highvacancy rate in recent years has tarnished the
area’s image. Harrison’s strength – major corporations and employers – is Mamaroneck’s dearth. Mamaroneck’s richness is its thriving downtown. There are few empty storefronts and an increasingly diverse restaurant row. “Local merchants do good business because they have developed a relationship with their customers,” says assistant village manager Dan Sarnoff. Which is why, he adds, the Village has been able to retain these businesses. “Our local businesses realize that it’s a good place to be.” He credits Mayor Norman Rosenblum for proposing various creative parking solutions, including automated multi-space and enhanced parking facilities which utilize mobile devices for payment, session management (so that you can remotely replenish your meter) and even for finding open parking spaces. And while Sarnoff is “paid to say” good things about the village, the unpaid president of the Chamber of Commerce echoes Sarnoff voluntarily. Steve Josephson has been a kid at heart his entire life, or certainly has had kids in his heart since he first got into the retail toy business as a teenager in 1967. In 1996
he assumed ownership of the Toy Box, a very colorful toy retailer on the Boston Post Rd. where even the carpeting and gift wrapping paper match. It’s this attention to detail, and customer service, that Sarnoff feels distinguishes Mamaroneck stores from those found in many other communities where chain retailers are abundant. “What keeps an area vital is the mom and pop store. They are there for you. Most locally-owned stores that have a following become their own destination and that can create more people coming to the area. Being open early. Being open seven days a week. Having what customers want when they want it,” are all keys to making any store successful, advises the life-long retailer. “When something becomes hot, I have that capability to stock up on the merchandise and having it. Basic toys that have been around for a 100 years are still the key items” Josephson observes that within the last eight years, the Mamaroneck shopping district has grown bigger and bigger. He credits local landlords and the real estate profession for this growth. “They don’t want to rip-off people. A rented store is much better than a vacated store.
As long as I can remember, Mamaroneck Ave. has always had few vacated stores.” And although he welcomes the growth of the Village’s restaurant trade, he would like to see still more retail come in. “Everyday mom and pop retail is needed.” As far as any negativity over Mamaroneck Ave., Josephson says he doesn’t see any. “It’s kept clean and we take care of the trees. Customers say it is one of the cleanest areas. We don’t have hang-outs for teens gathering that scare people away.” So what does Josephson predict will be the hot toy merchandise this coming holiday season? On this subject, he is cagier. He says he is still formulating his own list. Shoppers will just have to stop by his store in the coming weeks to make sure their kids will get what they are looking for this coming Chanukah or Christmas. Rob Seitz is a Realtor with Stetson Real Estate in Mamaroneck. He has several years’ experience specializing in all types of commercial real estate, in particular. He can be reached at 914-3936144 or via e-mail, rseitz@stetsonrealestate. com.
BOOKS
The Retired (Try To) Strike Back—Chapter 18 – The Open Bedroom Door By ALLAN LUKS Sitting silently on their living room couch, Myron and Mimi, who are husband and wife, are thinking about the characters they’re playing in The Retired Person’s Dating film, as they prepare to complete the film’s final scene about sex and the retired trying to create new relationships. Bob had set the camera close to the couch, wanting to capture both faces at the same time. He steps from behind the camera. “Are you ready? All the retired who see our film will want to watch an honest scene to help guide them with new sexual encounters.” “We’ve rehearsed all the lines for our characters,” says Myron. “They’re based on the experiences of many, many retired people we spoke to. You’ve already filmed our characters sitting on this couch and talking, directly and indirectly, about the bedroom question. Now, we answer it.” “Then let’s go,” says Bob. “Time’s money as we used to repeat when I was in advertising.” Bob is wearing his usual wrinkled jeans.
“No, time isn’t money for us,” corrects Myron. “Don’t forget what the characters in almost all the scenes emphasize. Time for the retired means do it right now.” “Lecture accepted,” replies Bob. “But Myron, my high school buddy, at least loosen your blue business shirt. We don’t want our viewers to know the character in the film’s last scene about sex was played by a retired actuary. There’s always the reality factor.” “And if they knew the real me?” interrupts Mimi, watching her husband, not Bob, as if every long-time marriage still needs face-checking when sex is going to be discussed. “When I sold high-end furniture, my sales pitch would put images in my young customer’s minds of being uncomfortable on an old couch, which is exactly the kind I have and we’re sitting on now. But I guess being retired frees us to be honest, which is what our characters keep saying in the film. Which is true, right?” “I’m getting confused whether you’re talking as husband and wife or characters in the film,” Bob says, stepping behind the camera. “O.K., you’re on.” Myron moves next to Mimi and they kiss
lightly—then he slides back on the couch. “We already talked today about the pills we both take whose side effects can affect us now, and at least we’ve gotten that behind us.” “Well, I didn’t take this morning the anti-anxiety pill that I mentioned,” Mimi replies. “And I didn’t take my bladder relaxing one.” Myron smiles, “Funny, at our age, from the outside it appears we’re moving slower, meanwhile we need help to calm down parts of us inside. Oh, to make sense of it all--” Myron suddenly rises from the couch and steps next to a sitting Mimi, leans over and kisses her, then stands straight. “That we can talk honestly like this, does feel good. We’ve said this before. We’re widows for more than three years, and how lucky we are to meet and not be nervous now. At least, I don’t think that nervous.” Mimi smiles. “Control is always a good feeling, and maybe at our age we especially like to feel it when we can.” “You make me think of our friend, Kenny. Pushing the newly retired to either run for office or set up advisory boards where
they live to get involved in pressured public issues. Show people how, at a time of so much division in the country, older people— who aren’t politicians—know how to come together and talk reasonably and not lose control. And sex surely qualifies as a pressure test not to talk honestly and lose control. We do want to get it right now.” Myron leans over and kisses Mimi again. “Since we know we’re in control—” Mimi stands next to him. They hold hands, smile to each other, as they walk to the bedroom’s open door, and Bob, holding the camera, steps in front of them, still shooting, then goes around to behind their backs and the open bedroom door appears in front of them. Bob puts down the camera. “I think you got it right about how the retired should recognize that their behavior—if it gets publicized, and maybe this film will help— can influence public debate. At least, it definitely looked and sounded right in the camera.” Allan Luks is a nationally recognized social works leader and advocate for volunteerism. He is the former head of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of New York and is currently a visiting professor at Fordham University, where he teaches several courses in nonprofit leadership. You can learn more about Allan Luks at http://allanluks. com.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
OFFICIAL ENDORSED CANDIDATES OF THE BLACK POLITICAL CAUCUS OF WESTCHESTER, INC.
Reduce Taxes Reduce Crime Create Downtown business improvement district
Enforce residency requirement for commissioners.
Aggressively promote youth activities and employment
Immediately re-open Doles Center for senior citizens
Will create legislation
VOTE
establishing City Council Districts. Mount Vernon is the only City in New York State that does not have Council Districts
SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 FOR THE TEAM OF
RIVERS AND FAVA ROW 7A ROW 9A &
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
business
Waiting for My Next iPhone By LARRY M. ELKIN News of Steve Jobs’ departure has overshadowed rumors over Apple’s next iPhone, but the company’s next smartphone is still on its way. It will likely reach stores sometime in October. I use an iPhone, but I sat out the last two releases of the product that arguably turned Apple into the tech industry’s hottest consumer brand. After nearly three years, I still use my trusty iPhone 3G. I’m wondering whether this year’s anticipated new model is going to be good enough to inspire me to upgrade. I can’t exactly ask Apple, which is famously secretive about products under development. As new CEO Tim Cook put it, “Apple is not going to change.” So I have to guess along with everyone else until the company makes one of its long-awaited “surprise” announcements. I know exactly what I want my next smart phone to have: 4G network capability. But not just any old 4G. I want 4G LTE. (LTE stands for “long-term evolution,” which is tech speak for “we aren’t able to meet 4G specs yet, but this is as close as we can get.”) Despite the confusing similarity in names, the iPhone 4 currently in stores is not a 4G phone. I don’t think Apple will allow itself to fall too far behind the marketing
curve, so I believe the next iPhone will be labeled “4G.” But according to most guesses, Apple’s next phone won’t offer 4G LTE. Before he succeeded Jobs as Apple CEO, Cook said during a quarterly earnings conference call that first-generation LTE chipsets “force a lot of design compromises with the handset” and that some of those were compromises Apple was “just not willing to make.” Current LTE chips add significant bulk, which would interfere with Apple’s emphasis on slim and sleek design. This will not necessarily stop Apple from calling its next phone 4G. The distinction between 3G and 4G networks is blurry. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) originally created the term “4G” to refer to networks with a specific peak speed, which had not yet been achieved. But carriers quickly co-opted the term to market their own most advanced networks, regardless of whether they met the ITU standards. HSPA+, WiMAX and LTE have now all been termed 4G by carriers. At the end of last year, the ITU threw in the towel and said the term 4G could be applied to “LTE and WiMAX, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed.” But not all technologies that claim to be 4G are equal. HSPA+ is noticeably slower than WiMAX or LTE. My carrier, AT&T, was Apple’s original iPhone marketer in the
United States, and it has clung to the idea that HSPA+ can be called 4G within the ITU’s revised definition. Like Verizon, AT&T is basing its longterm strategy on LTE. However, AT&T is losing the LTE rollout race. The carrier’s website still claims it will have LTE in “in select markets” this summer but, given that the summer is almost over, that’s starting to seem unlikely. Verizon, which began offering the iPhone this year, already has LTE in “117 Markets and 98 major airports,” according to its website. It also has an assortment of non-iPhone devices ready to tap into that network. To continue to appear competitive in the 4G market, AT&T has rolled out an HSPA+ network, calling it 4G, while it slowly get its 4G LTE network in place. To get LTE right now, I would need to switch both my carrier and my handset. HTC’s Thunderbolt, which runs on Verizon’s LTE network, is an attractive possibility. But I’m already used to the iPhone’s software, and I value the fact that my iPhone integrates easily with the various other Apple devices in my life. So as long as Apple gets an LTE phone to the market in the reasonably near future, I’m willing to wait. I am likewise willing to give AT&T more time to get its LTE network into the field. Oddly, Verizon has teamed up with AT&T to give me a strong incentive not to switch to Verizon’s already-available LTE network. Neither carrier offers new subscribers an unlimited data plan anymore. Both AT&T and Verizon now cap their
customers’ monthly flat-rate data usage. Verizon, which just put its tiered system in place in July, charges $10 a gigabyte for users who go over their limits. My old AT&T plan is grandfathered, and right now, the company allows the unlimited data usage to continue even when the customer gets a new phone. If that policy applies to future 4G LTE phones on AT&T’s network, I will be better off staying with AT&T. Those new high-speed LTE networks are going to burn through data in a hurry, making it easier to incur unexpected overage charges if I give up my flat-rate deal. It will be interesting to see how AT&T handles the rollout and pricing of its network, and whether Apple is willing to give up its cutting-edge image by releasing a new iPhone that lacks 4G LTE. Remember, Apple likes to surprise people. I’ll be following it all on my iPhone 3G.
Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP®, president of Palisades Hudson Financial Group a fee-only financial planning firm headquartered in Scarsdale, NY. The firm offers estate planning, insurance consulting, trust planning, cross-border planning, business valuation, family office and business management, executive financial planning, and tax services. Its sister firm, Palisades Hudson Asset Management, is an independent investment advisor with about $950 million under management. Branch offices are in Atlanta and Ft. Lauderdale. Website:www. palisadeshudson.com.
Yonkers Mayoral Candidate and Clergy to Focus on Economic, Safety, Education and Real Estate Concerns YONKERS, NY --A two-and-a-half hour program to reveal proposed solutions and generate community involvement for addressing issues of concern to residents of Western Yonkers will be held Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Our Lady of Fatima Center, 355 S.
Broadway, in Yonkers. It will be open free of charge to all residents of the city. Organized by The Genesis Project and the Committee to Reinvent Yonkers, the program will begin at 4:30 p.m. and cover topics such as employment, teen crime, safety,
education, real estate development and legal issues. Included among the local organizations that will be providing speakers and bringing their constituents are The Messiah Baptist Church, The Salvation Army of Yonkers,
Pressley Memorial Church, YMCA of Yonkers, Joy Temple Church, New Testament Church, Shekinah Glory Ministries, 5 Linx Marketing and the United Christian Missions. They are all part of The Genesis Project, which was formed earlier this summer as a by-product of discussions between minority clergy in Western Yonkers and Mayoral candidate Robert Flower to help area residents and promote economic development. “We realize that Western Yonkers is both the part of the city most vulnerable to its problems and the area with the greatest potential for growth,” Dr. Flower said. “We’re certain a broad-based effort by community and political leaders can have a positive impact. We very much look forward to sharing ideas and mentoring with concerned citizens on Sept. 6.” For additional information about the meeting, call 914-779-6299. .
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
CALENDAR
News & Notes from Northern Westchester By MARK JEFFERS I hope all of you were spared the wrath of Hurricane Irene. We had a tree fall through our house a week before Irene hit and I want to thank our local Police, Town and Fire Departments for their fast and hard work to secure our property. As I sit here and wait for insurance adjusters let me share with you this week’s “News and Notes…” Being the outdoorsman that I am, can’t wait until the Adventures in the Outdoors Weekend September 24th and 25th at the Westmorland Sanctuary Nature Center and Wildlife Preserve, call 914-666-8448 for details. Cheers to the owners of the Thornwood Ale House, as the new restaurant is set to open, looks like a wide selection of beers, if they need a taster, I am available… After all that beer, it’s time to lace up the sneakers and head to the Katonah Memorial
Park for their annual 5K run on September 10th. Three cheers for Pound Ridge residents Marcus, Lisa, Alana, Shana and Jeff Fitz as they were honored at the Hudson Valley Make-A Wish Foundation’s recent Wish Ball. A book discussion group will meet at the Katonah Village Library on September 14th at 8pm to discuss “The Seal Wife,” maybe it’s about Heidi Klum… Grab your partner and do-si-do…at the Barn Dance being held at the John Jay Homestead on September 17th…Yee-Ha! Of course, I am way to young to attend this event, but it’s always important to keep tabs on our health and what better place to do this than at the Senior Health Fair at Chappaqua Crossing on September 24th from 9am to 12pm. There will be many different health screenings, prostate cancer screenings and panel discussions. On Sunday, 9/11/11, at the Fox Lane High School in Mt. Kisco, a community-healing
event will be held at 4:00 PM. This will be a combined interfaith/civic gathering with clergy from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions and many civic dignitaries in attendance. Choirs from Christian and Jewish congregations will form a CommUnity Choir for the occasion. A drumming circle will open the event and International Flag Ceremony will conclude the time together. Good luck to Dennis Corcoran of Pleasantville on his recently published book “Induction Day at Cooperstown: A History of the Baseball Hall of Fame Ceremony.” Turning to sports: I was lucky enough to attend the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship at the Westchester Country Club and saw Fred Couples’ group play some awesome golf…They may have aged some, haven’t we all, but the senior boys still hit them straight and pretty far. The crowds were small, which allowed the spectators to hear funny lines from up close, like Fuzzy Zoeller coaxing is putt to ‘Please” go into the 18th hole… Our good friends at Grand Prix NY are once again holding a charity event and this one should be a blast. On September 15th there will be a very special red carpet showing
of the movie “Senna” to benefit the Starlight Children’s Foundation, for more information call Maureen at 212-354-2878 ext. 114. I would like to close this week’s column with a very special thank you to all our good friends in northern Westchester; they really came to our aid in helping my family in a very difficult time. Whether in preparing food, supplying clothes (I never dressed better), a place to stay or just a laugh or a shoulder to cry on, they were there every minute as our home was torn apart by a monster tree. I guess Dionne Warwick song says it best “that’s what friends are for,” and the Jeffers clan have the greatest in the world… Mark Jeffers successfully spearheaded the launch in 2008 of MAR$AR Sports & Entertainment LLC. As president he has seen rapid growth of the company with the signing of numerous clients. His professional activities include being local host and producer of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Mr. Jeffers is an adjunct professor in the Sport Business Management Program at Manhattanville College and serves on their Advisory board. He currently resides in Bedford Hills with his wife Sarah and three girls, Kate, Amanda and Claire.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Pearlgreen Corporation Celebrates Relocation to New Rochelle
75-Year old Company Rehabs Deserted Building into State of the Art Warehouse Distribution Center with New Rochelle IDA Assistance City of New Rochelle and New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency officials celebrated the relocation of Pearlgreen Corporation’s new warehouse distribution facility to downtown New Rochelle with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, August 30. A family-owned business for three generations, Pearlgreen Corporation purchased the former Bakers Pride Oven Co. building
at 30 Pine Street in November 2009. In the following months they rehabilitated the singlestory, 111,563 square foot industrial building to accommodate new offices and employee support space along with warehousing and manufacturing, transforming a deteriorating, blighted property which housed a dwindling operation into a state-of-the-art warehouse, manufacturing and distribution center. The move tripled the size of their previous facility and relocated their operations from New York City and Mexico, consolidating three business interests under one roof: Pearlgreen Corporation, a leading distributor of building maintenance and contractor supplies and hardware; Pearlweave
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Safety Netting Corp., a national manufacturer and distributor of safety netting and fall protection systems and Koring Bros, a sports netting/batting cage manufacturer. Thanks to assistance and grants from Con Edison and NYSERDA, the warehouse and offices boast energy-efficient systems and energy-saving features such as room occupancy sensors. Additionally, the company utilizes a paperless order processing/inventory system and distributes many Green Product lines. “We are very happy in our new home in New Rochelle,” said Pearlgreen Corporation President Lawrence Greenberg. “This project provided a win-win situation for both
Pearlgreen Corporation and for the city of New Rochelle. We are pleased to have the capacity and infrastructure within which to grow our three companies, and in doing so are committed to hiring from the local community. The ten manufacturing jobs which we repatriated from Mexico are a source of pride for us and a daily reminder that the words ‘Made in the USA’ still have meaning.” The relocation of this major industrial supplier and manufacturer to this 3.75-acre property was made possible in part by the New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency. IDA incentives offset relocation costs, helping the company maintain their operational level and position them solidly for future growth. The move relocated over 55 full-time, permanent employees to the site, contributed over 120 construction jobs; added 10 new manufacturing jobs and added approximately $7 million in new investment to the city. Marianne Sussman, IDA Chair, noted, “Pearlgreen’s story is an ideal example of the benefits that can be gained from IDA incentives. An old and abandoned industrial building has been improved and brought Continued on page 10
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
Who Can Hit the Ground Running?
ERNIE DAVIS
He Puts People Before Politics Ernie Davis has the experience to immediately begin cleaning up Mount Vernon. He will reopen the doors of city hall and restore order and a sense of unity amongst city workers. Ernie knows that establishing good relationships with businesses and the community is essential in putting the city back on track. Mayor Davis can bring people together and he understands that the only way Mount Vernon will progress is to ďŹ nd ways to save homes, reduce taxes, address an education system that costs more and produces less. Ernie Davis can and will aggresively seek measures to decrease crime stemming from social deviancy and antisocial behavior and he will make sure that Mount Vernon’s senior and youth are better served, especially at risk and disconnected youth, for they are the most vulnerable. Ernie Davis has solutions and is what Mount Vernon needs now!
VOTE ROW 1A
ON PRIMARY DAY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Paid for by Friends of Ernie Davis
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Pearlgreen Corporation Celebrates Relocation to New Rochelle Continued from page 8 back to life. Even though the IDA’s strenuous negotiations substantially reduced the applicant’s benefits proposal, an active and growing business with more than 50 workers chose to locate in New Rochelle rather than in nearby communities offering greater tax advantages. I am proud of the impact of the IDA’s responsible and well-balanced incentives in restoring the vitality of the area.” “Pearlgreen’s decision to locate its headquarters here in New Rochelle, demonstrates our city’s appeal as a site for businesses of every kind,” said New Rochelle Mayor Noam
Bramson. “Pearlgreen’s impressive facility is an outstanding addition to our community, while the jobs created and sustained by Pearlgreen’s operations will make a meaningful contribution to the local economy.” “It is critical for the City to balance its overall development with new commercial growth,” noted Development Commissioner Michael Freimuth. “This project, launched by the former commissioner of development, Craig King, addresses this fundamental need and contributes new jobs and taxes to the City while demanding little in public services.”
EDUCATION
Education
PRESENTED BY:
By FRANK F. VERNUCCIO, JR.
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Throughout Westchester, concerned parents have substantial questions about our public educational system as their children return to school this week. Despite abundant funding from high taxes (even in the face of tax caps) statistical evidence indicates that too many students statewide record scores significantly lower than the national average in the most vital and basic skills. Even the briefest review of state and local school budgets reveals that financial support is not the culprit. New York spends far more per-pupil than any other American state. According to the latest available statistics, Albany and local budgets provide $18,126 per student, dwarfing the national average of $10,499. That’s an extraordinary statistic, even accounting for our region’s higher cost of living and the significant sums expended on special education. Westchester parents clearly expect a better return for their investment. Their expectations will not be met. While valid criticisms of the “No Child Left Behind” law exist, the results remain revealing. According to statistics gleaned from testing under that federal law, 38% of our schools fell below standard. In contrast, the lowest-spending state, Utah, saw 21% of its schools fail. There’s more bad news. A 2008 analysis of the 50 states placed New York at the bottom tier of graduation rates. Even within the state, public schools face embarrassing comparisons. A prime example comes from Richmond County, where local Catholic school students outscored public school
students by an overwhelming 27% in the English Language Arts exam. With the highest budget in the nation, the question must be asked: what are those dollars are being spent on? An objective examination of what is actually taught in the classroom, and how essential subjects are being taught, is necessary. Public schools in the 21st century are asked to provide instructions on topics that simply weren’t part of the curriculum in the past, such as sex education and multiculturalism. The merits of these courses are an ongoing controversy. However, the fact that the amount of classroom time is limited is beyond question. Non basic courses must come at the expense, in both time and dollars, of existing subjects. There are numerous examples throughout the state. New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg has initiated a mandate that increases the time spent on sex education, at the cost of $130 million, during a period of fiscal austerity where there is concern about the availability of funds for the traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic subjects. A backlash to this type of concentration has been noted, exemplified by Elmsford Superintendent Barbara Peter’s push to re-emphasize basic courses. The emphasis on nontraditional topics is not only the result of governmental requirements. A review of the curriculum at the nation’s top 50 education schools was conducted by two researchers at the University of Arkansas’s Department of Education Reform, Jay P. Greene and Catherine Shock. They examined the courses offered at those graduate institutions, comparing the number of classes in multiculturalism, inclusion and diversity with those in mathematics. The results indicated that the teaching schools heavily emphasized those Continued on page 11
The Westchester Guardian
EDUCATION
Education Continued from page 10 nontraditional topics over math, providing 82% more courses in nontraditional topics than in math. With teachers receiving less instruction in the topic, it’s not surprising that our 15 year olds ranked 24th out of 30 industrial nations in math literacy, as noted in the City Journal. The manner in which math and reading are taught is also controversial. Educational policy observers are increasingly discussing a “Back to Basics” approach, which entails a return to the phonics (as opposed to whole language) method of teaching reading, and the use of classroom drills and multiplication tables for math. It appears that all those
jokes about “new math” may have finally left an impression. It is often noted that everyone who walks into a school building—the teachers, principals, janitors and contractors--have a contract guaranteeing their interests. Everyone, that is, except the students. Westchester’s heavily taxed parents have a right to demand that Albany’s educational policy makers look beyond theories and politics and simply choose what is best for their children. Visit the COMACTA’s website is comactainc.com. Frank Vernuccio, Jr., is the president of the Community Action Civic Association, Inc.
HUMOR
Third Grader Jokes By THE WESTCHESTER JOKESTER In the vast landscape of humor, one type of joke predominates: the question and answer joke. In its most primitive manifestation, a simple question and an unanticipated answer comprise the joke, also known as a “two-liner.” Variants of the two-liner joke exists,. Popular with young people and sometimes called “third-grader jokes,” these revolve around animals, or school activities, or natural functions, and are usually silly or even slightly salacious. Here are some examples: How much do pirates pay for their earrings? A buccaneer What did one ocean say to the other ocean? Nothing, they just waved. What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches? A nervous wreck. What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall? Dam. How do you catch a unique rabbit? Unique up on it. How do you catch a tame rabbit? Tame way, unique up on it. What did the bee to say to the flower? “Hey, Bud, when do you open?” What do you get when you cross the Atlantic Ocean with the Titanic? Halfway. What kind of coffee was served on the Titanic? Sanka. What goes ha, ha, ha, plop? Someone laughing his head off. What do you get when you cross a fly with an elephant? A zipper that never forgets. How do you make an elephant fly? First, you start with a 48-inch zipper . . . Can an elephant jump higher than a
lamppost? Yes. Lampposts can’t jump. What do you do with an elephant with three balls? Walk him and pitch to the rhino. What’s the worst part about hunting elephants? Carrying the decoys. Why do elephants have trunks? Because they would look silly with glove compartments. What is large, gray, and wears glass slippers? Cinderelephant. Why was Cinderella so lousy at baseball? She ran away from the ball, and she had a pumpkin for a coach. What is the last thing that goes through a bug’s mind when it hits a windshield? Its butt. Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? The food is terrific, but there’s no atmosphere. What did the hot dog say when he crossed the finish line? I am the wiener! What did one hot dog say to another? Hi, Frank. Why do seagulls fly over the sea? Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels. How do you keep a bagel from getting away? Put lox on it. Why do hummingbirds hum? Because they can’t remember the words. What is bright orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot. Why do birds fly south for the winter? Because it’s too far to walk. Did you hear about the skunk that went to church? He had his own pew. Why do fire departments have Dalmatians? To help them find the hydrants. What has four legs and one arm? A Rottweiler. Continued on page 12
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
HUMOR
Third Grader Jokes Continued from page 11 What do you get when you cross a pit bull with a collie? A dog that rips your leg off then goes for help. What do you get when you cross a cantaloupe with a border collie? Melancholy puppies. Where do you find a no-legged dog? Right where you left him. What do you call a dog with no legs? Doesn’t matter, he ain’t going to come anyway. Who yelled, “Coming are the British.”? Paul Reverse. What did the mother buffalo say to her little boy when he went off to school? Bison. What do you get when you eat onions and beans? Tear gas. What do you use to fix a broken tomato? Tomato paste. Did you hear about the two silkworms in a race? They wound up in a tie. What did the necktie say to the hat? You go on ahead, I’ll just hang around. What do you say to a hitchhiker with one leg? Hop in. Why did the mushroom go to the party? Because he was a fungi. Why did the fungi leave the party? Because there wasn’t mushroom. Why do they put bells on cows? Because their horns don’t work. Why did the scientist install a knocker on his door? To win the no-bell prize. What’s brown and lives in the bell tower? The lunch bag of Notre Dame. What’s brown and sticky? A stick. What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work? A stick. What did Mrs. Bullet say to Mr. Bullet? We’re going to have a bee bee. Why was the tomato red? Because it saw the salad dressing.
Why should you never fly with Peter Pan? Because you’ll never, never land. Why do gorillas have large nostrils? Because they have big fingers. Why was the math book sad? Because it had so many problems. Why did the Pilgrims pants fall down? Because they wore their belt buckles on their hats. What do Alexander the Great and Winnie the Pooh have in common? They both have the same middle name. Why is a giraffe’s neck so long? Because its feet smell. Why do fire departments have Dalmatians? To help them find the hydrants. Do you know how to make your own antifreeze? Take away her fur coat. What does a one-legged ballerina wear? A one-one. What’s the difference between roast beef and pea soup? Anyone can roast beef, but not many people can pea soup. Why did the toilet paper roll down the hill? Because it wanted to get to the bottom. Why did the composer only compose in bed? He was writing sheet music. How do you fix a broken tuba? With a tuba glue. What’s Irish and sits outside? Patio Furniture. Why do bicycles fall over? Because they are two-tired. What do prisoners use to call each other? Cell phones. What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long? Polaroids. What do you call cheese that doesn’t belong to you? Nacho cheese. How did the mouse feel after the cat chased it through a screen door? Strained. What do you call a deer with no eyes? No ideer. What do you give a deer with an upset stomach? Elka-Seltzer. Why did the bunnies go on strike? They wanted a raise in celery.
education
200 New Pre-Kindergarten Spaces Made Available for Yonkers Families by the Archdiocese of New York In order to help meet the needs of families with young children who may be displaced by the current Yonkers school budget gap, the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, Dr. Timothy J. McNiff has announced additional Pre-Kindergarten 3 and Pre-Kindergarten 4 spaces in 12 Catholic elementary schools located in Yonkers, Riverdale, Bronx and Mount Vernon. More than 200 spaces are now available to serve children who could be displaced by the current Yonkers school budget, which only has resources available for 1,581 pupils in its prekindergarten program at this time. Superintendent McNiff stated, “We are
happy to offer full day Pre-K 3 and Pre- K 4 programs to the families of Yonkers. Many of our schools will have early drop off and extended day options for working parents. We have worked hard to keep tuition affordable, and it is offers significant savings when compared to daycare.” The list of Catholic elementary schools and tuition rates is available on www.adnyeducation.org. In addition to calling neighboring Catholic schools directly, parents can also contact the Archdiocese of New York’s Student Placement Hotline: 646-794-2885. Registration is ongoing through September.
What do you get when you pour boiling water down a rabbit hole? Hot cross bunnies. Why can’t a woman ask her brother for help? Because he can’t be a brother and assist her, too. Where does satisfaction come from? A satisfactory. What’s the chimney sweep’s most common ailment? The flue. Did you hear about the two antennas that got married? The wedding was terrible, but the reception was great. Why didn’t Noah fish very often? He only had two worms. Why do golfers wear two pairs of pants? In case they get a hole in one. Why did the man stop farting? He ran out of gas. What’s a metaphor? So that livestock can graze. If H2O is on the inside of a fire hydrant, what’s on the outside? K9P. What does a dog do that a man steps into? Pants. Why couldn’t the pony talk? He was a little horse. What is bright orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot. Why did the cookie visit the doctor? Because he was feeling crummy. What did the numeral 0 say to the numeral 8? Nice belt! How does the Man in the Moon get his hair cut? Eclipse it. Where do otters come from? Otter Space. Where did the king keep his little armies? Up his little sleevies. Why did Humpty Dumpty have a great fall? He wanted to make up for a lousy summer. Why was the baby ant so confused? Because all his uncles were aunts. Why did the Indian have a hard time getting into the hotel? He didn’t have a reservation. Why did the banker breakup with his girlfriend? He lost interest. Why do elephants paint their toenails red? So they can hide in cherry trees.
Why is an elephant big, gray and wrinkled? Because if he was small, white, and round he’d be an aspirin tablet What should you do if you’re eaten by an elephant? Run around and around till you’re all pooped out. What’s large, gray and doesn’t matter? An irrelephant. How did Dracula come to America? He sailed in a blood vessel. How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch. How can you tell a boy tuna from a girl tuna? Watch to see which “can” they use. Why did the turtle cross the road? To get to the Shell station. Why did the man with only one hand cross the road? To get to the second-hand store. Why do seagulls fly over the sea? Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels. Why are there so many Johnsons in the phone book? Because they all have telephones. Why were ink spots crying? Because their father was in the pen. My computer has a virus called the PBS virus. Every hour it freezes up and asks for money. Hear about the robbery at the public broadcasting station? The thieves got away with $50,000 in pledges. What’s brown and sounds like a bell? Dung. What kind of bees give milk? Boobies. Why do ducks have webbed feet? To stamp out fires. Why do elephants have flat feet? To stamp out burning ducks. Why did the atom cross the road? It was time to split. Why is a moon rock tastier than an earth rock? Because it’s a little meteor. The Westchester Jokester mines his voluminous collection of humor each week in the pages of The Westchester Guardian.
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream The American Dream By DR DAVID ANDERSON and THE UsCORP TEAM Welcome back to our series on brainbased learning, performance enhancement, and the American Dream! The last article emphasized the importance of nutrition, and its value in maximizing health and our brain potential. In this article, we will focus on sleep - not just from a health perspective, which we will cover - but also how we can put our sleep time to good use. From pre-biblical times, people have always had a fascination with sleep and what its true function is. From the Sumerian and biblical texts,
Homer and the alchemists, going forward all the way to William Shakespeare and his famous quote in Hamlet’s act 3, scene 1: “To sleep, perchance to dream - ay, there’s the rub,” sleep, dreams, (death, omens, messages from higher powers…) have all been associated with and a fascination to our cultures. Well, you may ask, what do we really know about the physiology of sleep and dreams and can we enhance daily performance? The answer to the former is very little, despite Continued on page 13
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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education
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream The American Dream Continued from page 12 several decades of intense sleep research; and the answer to the latter, ironically, is a fair amount. The science of sleep and dreaming has certainly had a convoluted path over the past 110 years. Sigmund Freud first came to prominence with his “Interpretation of Dreams,” published in 1899, in which he postulated that dreams were a form of unconscious wish fulfillment, and evolved to resolve an intra-psychic conflict of some sort. Whilst Freud, using psychoanalysis, attempted to help clients resolve these conflicts with the aid of dream interpretation, his equally famous follower, Carl Jung, interpreted dreams to arise from the collective unconscious, a wellspring of all consciousness, if you will; and put his patients on the couch attempting to help them understand themselves in relation to this greater force. Nevertheless, while the first part of the 20th century was marked by the “personalization” of dreams, the second half of the 20th century was the exact antithesis. The hypothesis pioneered by Nobelist Francis Crick (who unraveled the secrets of DNA) stated that we actually dream to forget. In other words, he hypothesized that dreams are an attempt to remove the “cognitive debris” that we accumulate during our waking lives. Crick went so far as to say that without this process our memory process would become chaotic. With such a large diathesis in opinion regarding sleep and dreams, what can we really deduce that is factual and practical? Essentially there are two forms of sleep. The first is Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which consists of four stages constituting 75% of sleep time. The second form is Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, in which our muscles lose tone and our respiration changes rapidly. REM sleep is when we have our most vivid dreams. Individual sleep requirements vary widely between six and ten hours per night in adults. Understandably many insomniacs (it is estimated that up to 50% of adults in the US at some stage experience insomnia) get particularly anxious when, periodically, sleep-related researchers, for mysterious reasons, quantify eight hours as an absolute requirement for sleep each night. The problem with this idea is that sleep is not like bicycling: you cannot sleep more through practice. Granted, sleep hygiene is vital: go to sleep the same time each night, rise the same time each day even if one has not had a great night’s sleep; avoid alcohol, caffeine and vigorous exercise at least six hours prior to bedtime and check with your physician as to whether any medication could be causing a sleep problem. Once in bed, if you find you are not asleep after 20 minutes, go to another room, read something relaxing in low lighting until tired. Finally, remember the words of Nobel Prize winner Walter Rudolph Hess: “If you are unable to sleep, enjoy the sensation of relaxation, knowing that you are still
getting some benefit. This decrease in anxiety will help sleep to come naturally.” What Hess was referring to is that all causes of insomnia can, of course, be exacerbated by anxiety. An anxiety-related insomnia, now known as psychophysiological insomnia, occurs when cortisol and other stress hormones chronically aggravate the insomnia. Nonetheless, with the best habits in the world, many of us will never sleep the oft recommended eight hours each night (but we might well outlive and in some cases be more productive than those who do). If sleep hygiene enables us to modify our behavior to get to sleep and ideally stay asleep, can we make our sleep work for us? The answer is absolutely yes. Joseph Rossman, formerly of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, interviewed hundreds of the world’s greatest inventors, most of whom subscribed to the importance of outlining a problem in one’s mind just prior to falling asleep. The subjects then reported allowing pleasant, relaxing thoughts to permeate their minds so as to enable sleep. Subsequently, many subjects excitedly informed Rossman how often they would wake in the morning (or even before) with the elusive solution well in hand. Taking this one step further, Dr Stephen LaBerge, former sleep researcher at Stamford University, pioneered research in the field of lucid dreaming, defined by the ability to actively engage in our dreams. Next time when you are uncertain whether you are dreaming, allow yourself to play a larger role in that dreamlike state; and you may surprise yourself at how you recapture this child-like “dream magic.” If nothing else, lucid dreaming is certainly one of the few antidotes to the adult years of battling reality in the trenches. Research suggests, however, that lucid dreaming can produce surprisingly positive results in terms of dealing with unresolved problems. Whether one subscribes to the theories of Freud or Crick, dreaming is the cheapest, most practical, and safest way to be in any place at any time. Until next time, dream big!
UsCorp is a global Consulting, Training and Coaching company comprised of a team of physicians, psychiatrists and business consultants dedicated to translating the latest scientific research in the neurosciences, medicine, psychiatry, business management and leadership to enhance performance and innovation in the corporate arena as well as our clients’ professional, educational and personal lives. Contact http://www.uscorpn. Details: Website com , E-Mail ustogether@uscorpn.com Telephone: 914-500-1778.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
MENTAL HEALTH
Best and Bless—Faith, Mental Illness and A Bridge By GLENN SLABY As the priest applies the special oil to my upturned palms and forehead, the familiar prayers are recited in my reception of the Catholic Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. A Sacrament, a “sign of grace, instituted my by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us through the work of the Holy Spirit” is one of a number of spiritual tools available for those who may seek a closer relationship to one’s Savior. This sacrament, offering spiritual healing and comfort, was formerly called the Last Rites or the Sacrament of the Dying. It is available to any Catholic suffering from one of the multitudes of illness and diseases that attack us in this our human condition. Our maturation in the understanding of mental illness has led the Church to give this blessing for us who suffer from anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, any mental health issue. “Those who heard of hell are religious. Those who experienced it are spiritual.” An old saying I picked up somewhere. Chronic illness, its onset, the deliberating effects, the diagnosis process and treatment toward recovery can be one’s journey through hell. I do not know if my bout with mental illness was such a journey – so many others have had more painful experiences, but one learns over time, to adapt, adjust continuously (sometimes successfully) and not ask why. This illness has forced me, aggressively challenged me, to seek a deeper meaning to this mystery of life and led me to look deeper into my Catholic faith. One of the results of this challenge is receiving about three times a year this blessing. It gives me time to reflect with my pastor and ‘reinforce’ the spirituality I so often need. Faith has grown slowly, deliberately forward - small steps or deposits in the bank of letting go. One must, “Go carefully: Spiritual growth must proceed slowly and steadily. Too often we want to improve ourselves and our relationships so quickly that we make ourselves frustrated and confused.”, thus warned Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and many others. As a Cradle Catholic, I thought I understood the basic tenets; nevertheless, I needed the miraculous, physical manifestations of divine interactions that occurred in this century - sort of “bridge” to the spiritual. Some may say that faith begins with trust and the acceptance with the unseen. I accept that and at times that was good enough, but with or without illness, more was desired to go with the foundation of two thousand years of Catholic spirituality. We live in an electronic culture where so much is
instantaneous, where ‘plastic’ images dominate the visible spectrum, where values and wealth are defined by quantity and false beauty. My mind and soul struggled. A battle was drawn and I would use any weapon that was available. So it may be a personal weakness of mine needing this “bridge” to Truth, but I did not leave my spirituality at that. It did not begin with this bridge and certainly does not end with it. Reading more, asking more questions, seeking a spiritual director and practicing this faith has led me let go, try to let God and accept the now. This Bridge consists of many events, recent and past. Denial of one or even denial of all these events is possible but the free will choice of acceptance was made and done. Unlike a jigsaw puzzle where one piece is incomplete without the whole and the whole is incomplete without that one, each of these miracles, individually, stands alone holding Truth. Be it the faith and determination of Dorothy Day, the living Crucifixion of St. Padre Pio, the fantastic apparitions of the Virgin including the Tilma at Guadalupe or Miracle of the Sun at Fatima, or the quiet discipleship of Solanus Casey, they show that we live in a world where the spiritual definitely belongs. Where there is an interaction between our world of time and space to the spiritual world of faith and holiness, beyond our physical plane. What’s unbelievable is how often God interacts, where the physical and spiritual interconnect, presenting a new reality, showing that He is not out there watching over us, but with us in His self-creating and renewing universe. This mental illness still predominates and its pain can be unbearable, especially how it drives out, swallows-up and overwhelms this new rationality of spirituality and hope. With the absence or with the presence of illness we must all struggle and faith itself is a struggle. Unlike hopes, desires and escapes our culture offers, spirituality can offer so much more. Religion and spiritual (there is a difference) offers a perspective leading to a new reality about our individual existence and the fate through faith of our souls. This faith extends the self beyond the now, the present biological moment/state we are currently presented. It tells us that we never truly alone. It presents a reality where love, care and service matters, where our cultural behaviors and ideals are turned on its head. Glenn Slaby is married and has one son. A former account with an MBA, Glenn suffers from mental illness. He writes part-time and works at the New Rochelle Public Library and at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison where he receives therapy.
The Westchester Guardian
MOVIE REVIEW
Ed Koch Movie Reviews By Edward I. Koch
Movie Review: “The Hedgehog” (+)
salon, and it looks it. Into the apartment building moves a handsome and elegant Japanese man, Kakuro Ozu (Togo Igawa). A romance begins between the two, both of whom have had prior marriages. In the meanwhile Paloma is recording everything. To see Renee slowly allowing herself to drop her prickly, protective exterior – that of a hedgehog – and exhibit the true sensitive character of her persona is wonderful to behold. The film establishes once again that far more effective than anything else such as special effects or beautiful locales, is a good story. And that is what this is. (In French with English subtitles.) Henry Stern said: “This is a French movie with fine acting and great craftsmanship. For me, it did not work for two reasons: first, the girl looks much older than eleven and is certainly far more sophisticated than a pre-teen would be, even in France. Second, there is a plot twist at the end which is totally unexpected, gratuitous and unrelated to what has come before. The concierge and the gallant Japanese man are good people; the girl’s parents are complete self-indulgent creeps. I just don’t understand why all this talent is wasted on such an unrewarding story.”
Movie Review: “One Day” (+)
“One Day” Refers To July 15, The Day Emma And Dex Meet Each Year. Their Bantering, Platonic Relationship Changes With Each Passing Year And Raises The Question Of Whether A Man And A Woman Can Have A Truly Platonic Relationship Or Will It Blossom Into A Romance Or Simply End. The Two Principals Are Both Physically Very Attractive. Sturgess Has The Personality Of A Huge Grant And Looks Like A Young Jude Law Or A Character Out Of The Great Television Miniseries, “Brideshead Revisited.” Hathaway Reminds Me Of A Young Patti Lupone But With Her Own Personality. All In All, It Is An Easy Movie On Your Eyes, Particularly The Scenes Of London And Paris. Watch Ed Koch’s Movie Reviews at www. MayorKoch.com.
I truly enjoyed this film from beginning to end. It has a slow rhythm, and although nothing very exciting happens until the very end, it is totally absorbing. Paloma (Garance Le Guillermic) is an 11-year-old girl living in the lap of luxury. She lives in a Parisian home with her father, Paul (Wladimir Yordanoff), and her mother, Solange (Anne Brochet). Her mother, who talks to her plants as though they were humans, has been in analysis for ten years. Paloma is precocious and wise beyond her years. Being tired of life, she is determined to kill herself when she reaches the age of 12. She constantly records life in her apartment building using a camcorder given to her by her father, which irritates everyone. While Le Guillermic is a good actor, physically she looks 16-18 so that is a little jarring. On the ground floor of the building lives Renee (Josiane Balasko) the concierge. I live in a building with a concierge and always think it sounds so posh when I say, “Leave it with the concierge.” In this case, when Renee identifies herself as such, it is translated in the subtitle as “Janitor.” Nothing wrong with being a janitor, but frankly, I’d rather be an American concierge. Renee, who appears to be in her 60s, is a tough-talking and even tougher-looking woman. She states that she has never had her hair done at a
This Moderately Good Picture Is Occasionally Boring But Has One Scene That Is A Real Shocker. Emma (Anne Hathaway) And Dex (Jim Sturgess) Meet At The University Of Edinburgh. On Graduation Day, July 15, 1988, They Have A Tryst. We Never Learn Much About Emma Except That She Aspires To Be A Poet And Ends Up A Teacher. We Learn A Lot About Dex. He Is The Son Of Wealthy Parents Played By Ken Stott And Patricia Clarkson. They Are Particularly Good In Their Minor Roles As Disappointed Parents. Their Handsome, Talented And Successful Television Producer Son Becomes An Alcoholic And More Dissolute From One Year To Another.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
PEOPLE
Ariel Plantz is Clay Art Center’s First Community Arts Director Clay Art Center is pleased to announce that Ariel Plantz will be its first Community Arts Director. By making this announcement, the Board of Directors has determined the importance it places in bringing the arts to the community at large. Ariel Plantz moved to the New York area in September of 2009. Fresh with a BA in ceramics from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and having completed a year as a AmeriCorps member at Baltimore Clayworks working in community arts, she knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to community and clay. AND Clay Art Center in Port Chester had just the right position for her by adding her to its staff as
Community Art Coordinator. Over the last two years, Ariel has grown the community arts program to reach over 17 schools serving hundreds of children, partnered with over 10 social service organizations and has this past year, organized the first school field trips by Port Chester after school programs to the newly expanded Gallery at the Clay Art Center. In her new role as Community Arts Director, she will play a pivotal role in strengthening the programs that enrich the creative lives of those who live in our community and beyond. Ariel is a familiar face to many of the children in Port Chester and she has already earned the title “Clay
Robert Has Two Mommies By BOB MARRONE Sometime in the late summer of 1949 my mother was date raped by a close family friend. It wasn’t as if she had never been with this man before, but she wanted to end the affair and move on. What she got instead was me. But in the idyllic world of postwar America, an illegitimate child born of an illicit relationship simply could not exist. So, for the first seven years of my life I didn’t. Those were not easy words to write. I loved my mother and learned, later in life, that to embrace her humanity and shortcomings was to love her even more. Nonetheless, the goal of this book and journalistic integrity required to advance its’ efficacy demand unfettered honesty. And so that is that. I will have to live with it. What was a forty year old woman, abandoned by her husband, already bringing up one child of her own and three others… themselves abandoned by their fathers and mothers to her care… to do about this dilemma? Abortion was not an option for a strict catholic girl from an immigrant family then living in her mother’s house. She couldn’t keep me, but she couldn’t get rid of me either. One of her best friends was a woman named Mary whose mother ran a branch of an orphanage for wayward teenagers of what today we would call middle school age. The grandmother, if you will, fostered the children out of her home, which was directly across the street from Mary’s house. After inquiring about the placement of the newborn at the
more institutionally run foster home, my mom and her friend Mary, settled on my being placed full-time, with Mary, herself, as a regular member of her family. And, thus, when I was born, I received the first of what would be my three names, Robert Forte, pronounced Fortay. I also became the son, as far as I knew, of the first of my two mothers. Mary was a tall, full, fair skinned Italian woman who walked with a slight, yet noticeable, limp, the result of a bout with polio before the introduction of the vaccine. On the foot of the offending limb she wore one of those special black orthopedic shoes with thick soles, firm leather and high ankle support; and laces, lots of laces. Mary was a good woman. But she was tough. She had a bad temper and believed in bare bottom spanking, even of toddlers. But I never doubted that she loved me. She had three other children, her oldest John, who was a teenager, Marilyn another teenager in college, and Joanne, a year older than me and the person with whom I would share a bedroom for the first seven years of my life. She was my first best friend. Mary’s husband, John, my foster father, was a warm loving man, who sold real estate. He was the only father I would ever have and that for only those seven years. My first recollection in this life was the sun shinning through the mosquito net of my baby carriage in the quiet back yard of Mary’s house. The house, a wood framed, two story dwelling attached on both sides by others that looked just like, sat on 17th. Street in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. In the early 1950’s the area was made up of mostly of working and middle class Italians and Irish in pursuit of the post-war American dream. They worked hard, yet the still made
Lady” due to her presence at local fairs. Come meet Ariel at the Clay Art Center hands-on table at the Port Chester Day celebrations on August 27th in Lyons Park. Clay Art Center is a not-for-profit ceramic art organization offering exhibitions, clay classes for adults and children, studio spaces for clay artists and outreach programs in the community. It is located in the heart of Port Chester at 40 Beech Street, Port Chester, New York 10573. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am-4pm or by appointment. For more information or images, please contact Leigh Taylor Mickelson at leigh@clayartcenter.org or 914-937-2047. it home each night for dinner. And despite the congestion and proximity of the homes to one another, the neighborhood was calm and the backyards especially quiet. Breaking the tranquility, though, was the intermittent whine of the propeller airlines of the day which flew over our house on their way to LaGuardia Airport. Those planes would play an odd and wonderful role in my life, as you will see. You are probably asking yourself how and why I remember the carriage as I have decried. I don’t know. But I do. The doctor who later saved my life attributed my sharp early memory to extreme stress and the clearly delineated phases of my life, that would, in many ways, define it. My next recollections were of being bathed in the sink, as opposed to the tub, and my foster mother always wrestling with what I came to know as a truss, courtesy of two congenital hernias I was born with. Another recollection was, though, the most enduring: A perpetual feeling of longing, self hate and rejection. The specifics I do not recall, I just knew that my mother (my biological mom) did not want me and would not let me live with her. How or why I felt this way as early as I did, I cannot say. When I was older, say two or there and up, I can understand the effect it had when would see me for a few hours every Friday and then leave. I would cry for the rest of the day. Yet I always knew she was mine. So much so, I knew her smell, I wanted her affection for always. But, always, she would go. In the many years since I have marveled at the consistency with which many abandoned children, even seemingly from birth, know that they have been rejected and pay the price later in life. John Lennon and Edgar
Allan Poe come to mind. Lennon wrote of the heartbreak and the issues it created for him, while the poet Poe died in the streets of Baltimore, an incurable drunk. One case will stay with me always, that of my daughter’s first boy friend who was adopted and never got over his sense inferiority or pain. He was very gifted in many ways, yet left this world as the result of an overdose not long after reaching the age of thirty. And so began I began my life with two moms and one name, not my real one. Whenever I would ask either Mom about having two mothers, I was told to shut up, “you just do” they answered. I also started off certain that I was not good enough to be wanted and not very worth. I do not mean the kind of garden variety “self esteem” issue you read about in women’s magazines. I am talking about what the Omega dog knows when he is at the bottom of the pack. I am talking about an indisputable, and even a non-conflicting acceptance of being second rate. Another status never entered my mind. To avoid confusion, I waited until the end of this submission to give you my biological mother’s name, it was Mary, too. Her last name was Marone (No the spelling is correct. You’re going to have to wait until a later chapter to learn how the names got sorted out). She lived all the way over on 24th street, in the same Park Slope neighborhood as I… just seven streets and three avenues. But what did I know about distance. She may as well have been on Mars. Listen to Bob Marrone every weekday from 6:00-8:30 am on the Good Morning Westchester with Bob Marrone on WVOX-1460 AM radio.
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
REFLECTIONS
Next
Revisiting Kennedy’s Legacy 50 Years Later
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By PEGGY GODFREY Fifty years may seem like a long time but there are still many people who remember the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. But those who may be too young to remember have a superb opportunity to relive the life, campaign and Presidency of John F. Kennedy. This year a three year celebration of programs at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston will honor the fiftieth anniversary of JFK’s Presidency. The AAA (Automobile Association of America) book suggests spending a minimum of two hours there and for sure, you could easily spend an entire day there. The introductory 17 minute film highlights his large family, his family life, and rigid, authoritarian father, While Kennedy won the Presidency by one of the smallest margins in history, his speeches and actions have inspired many people. His inaugural speech, which is replayed in a film in the Library, has been called one of the most far reaching and influential in our Country’s history. The speech is replayed continually and continues to inspire those that watch it now. The words from the
speech, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” endure and point to a direction of the 60’s where civil rights and other democratic ideas gained support. Many of the notes and drafts used to prepare this inauguration speech are on display. Theodore Sorensen helped with the speech and worked closely with Kennedy to assure that the President’s thoughts were used. There is no doubt that Kennedy’s well chosen words would inspire and continue to inspire people, especially young people, for many years. One of the exhibits told of Kennedy’s political campaign in Omaha, Nebraska. where one of his opinions of what was wrong in our democracy was cited, “As long as there is blight in our cities, people without work,” pointed to the direction his presidency would take.” The May 2, 2011 team of Navy Seals that killed Osama Bin Laden was referred to on one display. The explanation was given that the Navy Seals were created in January 1962 in response to President Kennedy’s call. This Continued on page 18
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
REFLECTIONS
Revisiting Kennedy’s Legacy 50 Years Later Continued from page 17 example of Kennedy’s foresight and judgment add to his legacy in our country’s history. Another enduring accomplishment was Kennedy’s call for a broad drive on mental retardation. After the New York Times published a statement by him on October 12, 1961, a bill passed by the Congress was sent to him a few weeks later. This gave impetus to improvements in the way mentally retarded people were treated, Permanent exhibits include Kennedy’s Campaign for President, his Oval Office and Briefing Room. The Space Program he envisioned and encouraged, as well as Jacqueline
Kennedy, and the Kennedy Family were also depicted. There is a display of places in the world that are named after Kennedy such as the JFK Park in Tunis, Tunisia and the Hong Kong Kennedy Center. The next exhibit in this three year celebration will begin on September 15, 2011 and is called “In Her Voice: Jacqueline Kennedy, the White House Years.” Already on display is her watercolor painting, “The White House Long Ago” which was a gift to her husband. The outfit she wore in a visit to Pakistan was one of her outfits shown. Her diploma from George Washington University, her childhood prayer book, and youth pictures are on display. Most appealing
is the camera she used when she was the “Inquiring Camera Girl in l957.” Among the most striking films in the Museum is the one on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Shown every half hour, it dramatized the way Kennedy learned about the presence of Russian missiles in Cuba, and the way he consulted with staff and experts to decide how to handle the crisis. It is as tense to watch as it was to live through this crisis during his Presidency. Anyone watching the film gains appreciation of the difficult decisions Kennedy had to make. The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. each day (except New Year’s Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving). It is located at Columbia
Point in Boston. The waterfront site dedicated in 1979 was chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and was designed by I.M. Pei. The Library is accessibly from the MDTA red subway, which connects to a free shuttle bus. By car take Route 93, and use exit 15 from the North and exit 14 from the South to Morrissey Boulevard and then follow signs. There is free parking. A cafe is available for a light breakfast or lunch. Kennedy’s place is history is secure and the public has a permanent and pleasant way to review it. You can also get more information at www.jfklibrary.org. Peggy Godfrey is a freelance writer, and former educator.
HISTORY
Remembering the Legacy of 9/11 By ROBERT SCOTT Who doesn’t recall the centuries-old rhyming proverb that portrays how one small item can touch off a chain of reactions with serious consequences?
For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. In the welter of articles about the horror of 9/11, one fact has been overlooked: The doors to the passengers’ toilets on the hijacked airliners were sturdier and more impregnable that the door to the pilots’ compartments. .One has to wonder what the designers of the planes’ interiors were thinking. On this, the tenth anniversary of the horror of 9/11, it is even more disquieting to speculate what would have been the outcome if the flimsy doors to the pilots’ compartments on four commercial jet airliners had been as sturdy and impregnable as the doors to the planes’ passenger toilets.
A Fateful Morning On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, nineteen mostly Saudi-born terrorists took control of four commercial airliners en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Boston, Newark, and Washington. Planes with long flights were intentionally selected for hijacking because they would be heavily
fueled. Two of the airliners, American Flight 11 and United Flight 175, were intentionally crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and thousands working in or visiting the buildings. Both towers collapsed, destroying or damaging nearby buildings. A third airliner, American Flight 77, was crashed into the Pentagon. The fourth plane, United Flight 93, crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control of the airliner. Casualties totaled 2,996, including the 19 hijackers and 2,977 victims, distributed as follows: 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. All who died in the attacks were civilians except for 55 military personnel killed in the Pentagon attack. Among the 2,753 victims who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center were 343 New York City firefighters and 60 police officers from the City’s and the Port Authority’s police departments, plus eight emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Another 184 people were killed in the attack on the Pentagon. The majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. A total of 1,366 people at or above the point of impact in the North Tower were trapped and perished from smoke inhalation, from jumping from the tower to escape the smoke and flames or by the building’s eventual collapse. In the South Tower, one stairwell remained intact, allowing some
to escape from above the point of impact. About 600 people died in the South Tower, less than half the number of those who died in the North Tower. At least 200 people jumped to their deaths from the burning towers and landed on the streets and rooftops of adjacent buildings hundreds of feet below. Some occupants of each tower above its point of impact made their way upward toward the roof in hope of helicopter rescue, but found roof access doors locked. No plans existed for helicopter rescues. The thick smoke and intense heat would have prevented helicopters from plucking people from rooftops. In Virginia, the third airliner was crashed into the Pentagon at the first-floor level, causing one section of the western side of the building to collapse, killing 25 employees, all 53 passengers, six crew members and five hijackers. Piloted by the hijackers, the fourth plane headed back toward Washington, most likely to hit the Capitol Building, but crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control of the airliner. A wave of revulsion swept the country, which clamored for the capture and punishment of the perpetrators. Intensive screening techniques that should have been in place were instituted at airports to guarantee that this method of mass murder and destruction would never again be attempted. The doors to the pilots’ compartment of all commercial planes were made sturdier and more impregnable than the doors to passenger toilets. President George W. Bush declared that the country was now engaged in a “global war on terror.” Daniel Pipes, a conservative commentator on the Middle East and usually a supporter of the President, pointed out in the Jerusalem Post that terror is a tactic,
not an enemy. Pipes added that by insisting its quarrel was with terror and not with radical Islam, the U.S. was obscuring the political roots of the confrontation.
The Legacy of 9/11 Following the attacks, suspicion immediately focused on al-Qaida and its leader, Osama bin Laden, who initially denied involvement. In 2004, he belatedly admitted being responsible for the incidents, citing U.S. support of Israel, the presence of U.S. troops on the holy soil of Saudi Arabia and years of crippling sanctions against Iraq as motives for the attacks. Ironically, bin Laden was a creation of the United States, although the U.S. government remained singularly quiet about its role in the recruitment and arming of the al-Qaida fighters who forced the Russians to abandon their occupation of Afghanistan in 1989. When Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the CIA, operating quietly at arm’s length, organized an Afghan jihad, or holy war, against the “godless” Russians, with the cooperation of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency. The CIA provided weapons, recruited candidates from various Muslim countries and facilitated their travel to Pakistan for training. Arab countries were the main source of fighters, jocularly called “Afghan Arabs.” Recruits came from Algeria, Indonesia, Kosovo, Chechnya and Sudan. Bin Laden led this jihad and was its paymaster. In October of 2001, the United States responded to the attacks by invading Afghanistan to depose the Taliban for harboring the al-Qaida members who had planned the 9/11 attacks. Although ample Special Forces were available, to spare Continued on page 19
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HISTORY
Remembering the Legacy of 9/11 Continued from page 18 American casualties U.S. commanders chose to use fighters of doubtful allegiance from rival factions to root out Taliban die-hards. Our primary target was Osama bin Laden. Yet he was allowed to escape from our clutches in the caves of Tora Bora in Afghanistan, thriving and issuing pronouncements via taped messages from the safety of a hideaway believed to be somewhere in Pakistan. Despite a record-shattering reward of $50 million offered for his capture, Osama bin Laden managed to remain at large for almost ten years, a potent threat to the United States and the West. What is remarkable about bin Laden as an adversary was that he clearly spelled out his intentions and objectives in his many taped messages. Persistent investigation of a few slim clues eventually pointed to a compound in a quiet corner of Pakistan. On May 1, 2011, he was killed in a daring raid authorized by President Barack Obama. Bin Laden’s objective in the 9/11 attacks had been to destroy American symbols: the twin WTC towers (Wall Street/wealth), the Pentagon (the military), and the Capitol (the government). The magnitude of the American response exceeded his wildest dreams. We attacked bin Laden’s archenemy, the hated secularist Saddam, and laid waste to Iraq in a vain search for nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. It became a war in which experienced generals took a back seat to civilians. A month before the war began, Army chief of staff General Eric Shinseki had told Congress it would take an invasion force “on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers” to pacify Iraq. Defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a skilled Washington infighter, retaliated and undercut Shinseki’s authority by leaking the name of his successor 18 months ahead of the general’s retirement. Deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz predicted an easy victory in which American troops would be greeted wildly
by Iraqi civilians and pelted with flowers, and Iraqi oil revenues would pay for the occupation. At a meeting to air soldiers’ gripes, Rumsfeld told a soldier who complained about the poor quality of equipment, “You go to war with the Army you have.” The problem with his answer was that the leaner, smaller, lightly-armored Army we sent into Iraq had been designed by the imperious Mr. Rumsfeld. Iraq turned out to be an unwinnable war that has taken 4,474 American lives since March 19, 2003, including 44 killed thus far in 2011. We are still actively engaged in another interminable and unwinnable war in Afghanistan, propping up the graft-ridden and corrupt regime of President Hamid Kharzi. Afghanistan promises to be an even less-successful attempt at nation building than Iraq. In all, a total of 1,752 Americans have died there since October 7, 2001, including 306 killed thus far in 2011. More than two thousand years ago, Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, author of the classic titled The Art of War, noted that no nation ever benefitted from a long war. Similarly, Israeli military historian and theorist Martin van Creveld has pointed out the futility of engaging in long wars. Democracies, by their very nature, are not suited for long wars. They exist to provide a higher quality of life for their citizens, who will accept the need for short-term sacrifices. But long wars soon erode the popular will to continue a war, a condition we are experiencing now. Historically, Afghanistan has been called “the graveyard of armies.” From Alexander the Great to the British and Russians, invaders have repeatedly discovered the rightness of that maxim. How long will it take for America’s leaders to awaken to the truth?
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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SPORTS
Larchmont’s Rebecca Moros Wins Her “After her cancer treatment, Fourth National Championship Thanks to business aviation, we’re bringing cancer patients closer to their cure.
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By RANDY VOGT
September 1, 2011-If you’re a women’s soccer team, how do you win a national championship? Forget about tactics as it could be as simple as having 26-year-old Rebecca Moros on your roster as she has experienced that championship feeling four times with four different teams. In 2005, Rebecca competed for the New Jersey Wildcats and won the W-League championship. In 2006, playing as a forward, she scored on a 12-yard shot in the 89th minute in the Women’s Premier Soccer League final to give the expansion Long Island Fury the title, 1-0, over River Cities FC. Rebecca was named to the All-WPSL playoff team. In 2007, she scored in the first minute on a 20-yard chip to lead the Washington Freedom to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks in the W-League final in Rochester, New York. Back in Rochester this past Saturday, the Duke graduate played right defender as the Western New York Flash outlasted the Philadelphia Independence, 5-4, in penalty kicks after tying 1-1 in overtime to win the WPS championship. Perhaps not realizing all her championship connections, Magic Jack traded Rebecca to Western New York in the middle of the season. She was playing against her former youth soccer and WPSL coach, Paul Riley, who was directing Philadelphia in the WPS Final.
In the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, the Larchmont resident grew up playing for the Larchmont Soccer Club of the Westchester Youth Soccer League and the HBC Fury of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, coached by Riley. The Fury won six State Open Cup titles and three Regional championships plus was ranked number one in the nation. Photo by and courtesy of the Western New York Flash. Randy Vogt is the director of Public Relations for the Eastern New York Youth Association
EYE ON THEATRE
Freshly Minted Deevy By JOHN SIMON
The playwright Teresa Deevy (1894-1963) was Irish and, from Meniere’s disease, deaf. The former was an advantage, given the Irish gift of the gab; the latter a handicap she overcame by lip-reading. The Mint Theater Company’s artistic director, Jonathan Bank, is evidently enamored of Deevy’s plays. Last season he produced her 1940s work, “Wife to James Whelan,” next season we get “Katie Roche” (1936), and this season “Temporal Powers,” (1932), which I review here. Deavy was clearly a modest talent, and Dublin’s famed Abbey Theatre produced a
number of her plays with mixed results, till they turned against her and dropped her, whereupon she resorted to the small Studio Theatre. She kept writing until the aftereffects of Meniere’s made her lose her balance and her eyesight, consigning her to a nursing home until her death. Most of the time she lived in her native Waterford, home of the famous crystal, and so, at its best, her writing is crystalline, though not excluding lapses into bottle glass. Irish English in the theater can sing, as it often does for Synge and early O’Casey even in realistic prose works. Less so for Deevy, Continued on page 21
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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EYE ON THEATRE
Freshly Minted Deevy Continued from page 20 whose writing can be crisp and effective, but also fairly prosaic, as in most of “Temporal Powers.” The bigger problem is that her characters, though believable, are not interesting enough. Here the long-suffering wife, Min, who at first cannot deter her unambitious husband, Michael Donovan, from returning stolen government money, is the one who elicits our empathy. So, too, to an extent, does Moses Barron, who feels too poor to marry young Lizzie Brennan, who pursues him ardently, even to the extent of causing serious trouble for others. These others, however, are too ordinary, insufficiently explored and evoked, so it is hard for us to care whether the Donovans have sufficient funds to emigrate to America, and, if they do, how ill-gotten that money is. Daisy Barron, the grasping mother whom Moses is desperate to escape from, is meant to be a blend of the comic and pathetic, but emerges as chiefly garrulous, which may have something to do with Fiana Toibin’s
Eli James, Wrenn Schmidt
Only the thieving Ned Cooney (Con Horgan) doesn’t get away with it, but wife Maggie may be better off without him. Moses (the good Eli James) and Lizzie (the passable Wrenn Schmidt) may have a chance, but nothing is spelled out for anyone. As Jim Slattery, the man who arranges travel for the emigrants, Paul Carlin can do little with a routine role. As usual at the Mint, I am torn between regret for the small, underequipped stage and respect for the way, under Bank’s direction, they manage to cope with it. “The interior of the old ruin,” where the dispos-
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MICHAEL
Rotanelli
Paul Carlin, Aidan Redmond
performance. Indeed, there is much run-ofhe-mill acting, with Robertson Carricart even hamming up the priest, Father O’Brien. Aside from Toibin and Carricart, trashing about like fish in an overheated bowl, there are those who, like Aidan Redmond, as the devout, impractical Michael, and Bairbre Dowling, as his sister Maggie, married to Ned Cooney--a thief just out of jail and already recidivous--are a trifle too colorless in their somewhat underwritten parts. The one notable exception is Rosie Benton, who makes Min endearing and memorable. Everything about the actress is appealing, from looks to manner, from voice to temperament. She was winning in ”Wife to James Whelan,” and is so again, unestranging even in querulousness. For some reason, Bank in his program note has her ending up with nothing. But such as he is, she has Michael, cleared by the tribunal for a minor infraction, and they are not without hope for their marriage and the New World.
H
YONKERS CITY COUNCIL 3 RD DISTRICT
Aidan Redmond, Rosie Benton
sessed Donovans find temporary shelter, is well designed by Vicki R. Davis, and Andrea Varga’s costumes, like Jeff Nellis’s lighting, does the necessary. There is some awkward stage business with a hole in the wall that various characters keep Sysipheanly covering and uncovering, but that is the fault of the author, who probably did not visualize the real entrance being that redundantly near and accessible. Continued on page 22
VOTE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TuEsDAY, sEPT. 13 Th YOnk ER s CI TY COu nCI l 3 R D D I s T R I CT
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The Westchester Guardian
EYE ON THEATRE
Freshly Minted Deevy Continued from page 21
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
SHIFTING GEARS
Irene and the Lexus CT By ROGER WITHERSPOON
Aidan Redmond, Rose Benton
With the brogue, the actors, coached by Amy Stoller, manage well enough, perhaps too much so for me. The title “Temporal Powers,” refers to the worldly as opposed to the otherworldly dispensation in a play that is technically a comedy in the ambiguous Chekhovian manner, but a bit frugal with laughs. Still, despite limited dramatic powers, the play should not deter Deevy fans and determined others from seeking it out. Photos by and courtesy of Richard Termine. John Simon has written for over 50 years on theatre, film, literature, music and fine arts for the Hudson Review, New Leader, New Criterion, National Review,New York Magazine, Opera News, Weekly Standard, Broadway.com and Bloomberg News. Mr. Simon holds a PhD from Harvard University in Comparative Literature and has taught at MIT, Harvard University, Bard College and Marymount Manhattan College. To learn more, visit the JohnSimonUncensored.com website.
It was the gray calm after the storm. The torrential rains from Hurricane Irene’s slamming northern side passed through the Lower Hudson River valley in the early morning light, leaving an uneasy calm, a roiling river, and an unpredictable string of roads blocked by downed trees and rampaging streams. The Hudson River swallowed the wide expanse of Peekskill’s Riverside Park and splashed against the empty Metro North station as if waiting for a train that was never going to come. Which made it an interesting day for a drive. Normally, in an unpredictable landscape like this, one would like to be behind the wheel of a Jeep or Toyota’s go-anywhere FJ Cruiser. But the car of the day was a compact, hybrid hatchback, the Lexus CT 200h, which is billed as a luxury compact for all-purpose family driving.
The beginning of the trip was auspicious enough. The Bear Mountain Extension’s narrow causeway across Annsville Creek – one of the Hudson River’s many, small, nondescript inlets – was half flooded, with the road west towards the Bear Mountain Bridge completely under water. Eastbound, however, on Route 9 looked like a promising trip, since there were only a few meandering streams winding under the road towards the Hudson. But not today. A mile past Annsville the eastbound lane hosted a large, horizontal, elm, and the westbound roadway had become an uninterrupted set of fastmoving rapids undermining the eastbound roadway. If there had been a shoulder, it was long gone. I was glad the Lexus hybrid was a compact, and not a big SUV, since there was not a lot of room to turn around on what was left of the two-lane roadway. And it helped that in reverse the sharp, color cameras in the bumper take over and the map in the seven-inch, pop-up, navigation screen on the dash is replaced by a crystal clear view of the
road behind the car. In a shopping center, the camera serves the safety function of helping the driver avoid backing over small children. In this case, it let me see where the road ended and the rushing water began. The compact was not designed to bound over downed tree trunks or large branches, or ford deep, fast moving streams. But its traction and stability controls were sufficient to keep the Lexus moving straight down Route 9, even though the swollen streams were now flowing across the road, covering it with an
inch or so of rushing water. As a go-anywhere family car, the Lexus CT 200h is an interesting blend, and the company seems intent on developing a new genre of vehicle – the luxury compact. As a compact car, the CT 200h has a lot to offer in terms of comfort, convenience, and performance and clearly stands out in the tiny car field. But with a price just south of $40,000, it’s going to have to compete with much larger, sportier, more comfortable, cars like the Chrysler 200 or Lexus’ corporate cousin, the Toyota Camry, as well as small, sporty, SUVs like the turbo-charged Nissan Juke. In terms of styling, the CT 200h is low and sleek, with subtle ridges and lines giving it more character than the typical, low budget compact. It is about the size of a Honda Civic, but has a stubby hatchback instead of a long sloping one. And though the rear window on both cars contain windshield wipers, the window on the Lexus can’t open. That can be a drawback if you try to haul long cargo that, on the Civic and some other compact vehicles, would stick out the rear window. But with the rear seats folded down, the Lexus CT is long enough to hold a half dozen, eight-foot stakes that lay across on the arm rest and nestled against the passenger side of the center console.
There isn’t much under the hood, either. The primary power plant is a 1.8-liter, fourcylinder gasoline engine, and an electric motor, which, combined, provide 134 horsepower. While compact cars are not generally known for power plants, one might expect more of a compact costing nearly $40,000 – which is about what you’d pay for a Lincoln MKZ. That will take about 10 seconds to propel the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour, which means you need to have a lot of space before trying to cut into traffic. It does offer a shift between a more responsive sport mode, or a more ecologically friendly normal driving mode. The most notable change in sport mode is that the instrument panel lighting changes from blue to red, and the hybrid power indicator changes into a tachometer. On the other hand, the Lexus can drive on just the battery power at up to 28 miles an hour, and the hybrid combination gets an EPA estimated 40 miles per gallon of gasoline on the highway, and 43 miles per gallon in city driving. And one doesn’t usually buy a
compact if you are looking for a performance car. Inside, the Lexus luxury compact has a lot going for it. To begin with, despite being a compact, it is extremely comfortable and roomy, with enough leg room in the rear for the average six-footer. The seats are soft leather, and the front set can be heated. Only the driver’s seat is power operated, however – the front passenger has the limited manual seats. Its navigation system is especially easy to use, featuring the company’s new “Lexus Enform.” This is an interactive program which lets you sit at home at your computer, input up to 200 addresses or destinations
The Westchester Guardian
SHIFTING GEARS
Irene and the Lexus CT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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TRAVEL
Norway—There are Places You Leave, and Places that Never Leave You By BARBARA BARTON SLOANE “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone…silence the pianos and with muffled drum…. let the mourners come.” These poignant and
you want to use, and upload them all to the car’s navigation system. The addresses can be placed into a maximum of 20 individualized folders with titles such as “Favorite Restaurants” or “relatives” or camp sites. The navigation system also ties with the satellite radio to offer XM updated traffic and weather. The sound system utilizes 10 speakers – more than enough to envelop the small cabin in a blanket of sound. There is a six-disc CD changer, AM/FM and XM satellite radio, as well as connections for flash drives, iPods, and MP3 devices. The car has a traditional slot in the console to hold a cell phone, or you can use a plug-in, adjustable holder to contain your cell phone or iPod. The gadget sticks up on the console and takes some getting used to. But it does make the device convenient to see and use, and holds it firmly in place. Whether Lexus can succeed in creating the luxury compact market, particularly in this economy, will be an interesting experiment. But Lexus put a lot of thought into the CT 200h and, if there is a market for such a category, it will set the standard for competitors.
2011 Lexus CT 200h
MSRP: $38,725 EPA Mileage: 43 MPG City 40 MPG Highway Performance / Safety: 0 – 60 MPH 9.8 Seconds Top Speed 113 MPH 1.8-Liter, in-line, 4-cylinder, DOHC gasoline engine and electric motor, producing 134 horsepower and 105 pound/feet of torque; 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels; 4-wheel independent suspension; 4-wheel, power assisted, front & rear disc brakes; anti-lock brakes; stability and traction controls; front driver and passenger knee airbags; front side impact airbags, side curtain airbags; fog lamps, backup camera; rear windshield wiper. Interior / Comfort: AM/FM/XM satellite radio; tilt & telescope leather steering wheel with audio and cruise controls; heated front seats; 7-inch navigation screen; Lexus Enform navigation destination system; Bluetooth; 6-disc CD player; MP3, iPod, and USB connections; Lexus audio with 10 speakers.
walk through the city center around Karl Johans gate, we were stunned to see the stores shuttered and a pervasive quiet all about. It was only when we sat down at a sidewalk café and began chatting with some diners at a nearby table that we learned the full scope of this unspeakable occurrence - more horrific
than at any time since the Nazi occupation there some 70 years ago. To be sure, this day the clocks were stopped, pianos were silenced, mourners walked the streets, and it almost seemed that the sad sound of muffled drums permeated all. As we’ve learned since then, Continued on page 24
“Norway Today” Courtesy of Google Images.
heartrending words from W.H. Auden’s poem Funeral Blues seemed to be exactly what was happening on Saturday, July 23, the morning after the unspeakable tragedy that had just occurred in Oslo, Norway. At home, the day before, we’d listened to a report of the bombing of Oslo’s government buildings and then were quickly off to the airport and our flight. We were oblivious to the enormity of this outrageous attack and the massacre of dozens of innocent young people who were attending a Workers’ Youth League summer camp on the serene island of Utoya After checking into our Oslo hotel, we hit the streets in search of lunch and on our
Chuck Lesnick has fought for Yonkers schools — and as mayor, he’ll keep on fighting. Every Yonkers student deserves an excellent education. That’s why Chuck Lesnick has stood up for our schools, including delivering $200 million to rebuild our classrooms.
As mayor, Chuck will continue putting our kids first — fighting for teaching positions cut by bad votes in Albany, working to fund music, arts and sports programs, and developing a plan to reduce class sizes.
Democrat Chuck Lesnick: Strong Leadership for Our Kids and Families.
VOTE FOR CHUCK LESNICK DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY SEPTEMBER 13
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
TRAVEL
Norway—There are Places You Leave, and Places that Never Leave You Continued from page 23 the perpetrator, Anders Behring Breivik, was, to the shock of everyone, a Norwegian and a right-wing radical. Flags flew at half-staff, and despite the drizzling rain, crowds formed along the intersections leading to the bombed-out square. Already mounds of flowers stacked the sidewalks, memorials with candles flickering and tiny flags fluttering in the wind. The next day I attended a service at the famed Oslo Cathedral, built in 1697, the city’s main church. It was attended by the entire royal family of Norway and standing in the long queue waiting to enter the cathedral, I had a chance to chat with Sofie, a pretty teen clutching a bouquet of pink and yellow roses. Both she and a woman named Maia, a tiny baby in her arms, echoed the same word over and over: “Shock.” When I brought up the fact that the perpetrator was a countryman, Maia smiled sadly and said “No, he is not one of us.” With its 1,000-year-old history, Oslo is the oldest of the Nordic capitals. The city is surrounded by islands and forested hills – and from its Viking days until today, Norwegians have considered this place a safe haven for trade, industry, cultural enrichment and as
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a comfortable way of life. It is the city of Munch, Vigeland and Ibsen, and, notwithstanding the recent utterly uncharacteristic events, a safe haven it remains.
Very, Very Cool
Before leaving this city, we visited Vigeland Park, that amazing site of 200 magnificent sculptures, each so perfect that it’s hard to believe they’re not human. Gustav Vigeland’s gift to the city, it is the largest
“Tourists at the Kjofossen Watrefall” Courtesy of Fjord Travel Norway.
“Oslo Opera House” Photo by and courtesy of Michael Sloane Photography.
From the somber heaviness which enveloped us, the next day we had a light, white, airy and beautiful experience: we visited the Oslo Opera House which opened just four years ago. It is Norway’s largest music and performing arts institution with three stages featuring opera, ballet and concerts. Made of white granite and glass, it is the largest cultural building constructed in Norway since the 1300s and it looks like nothing so much as a frosty, giant iceberg soaring out of the Oslofjord that inspired its Snohetta architects. Because it is so utterly unique and innovative and just happens to be the only opera house in the world where one can walk on the roof (a popular tourist attraction), when you’re in or on or even near this building, you cannot help but smile.
Sculptures Everywhere, Alive As They Can Be
“Statue in Vigeland Sculpture Park” Photo by and courtesy of Michael Sloane Photography.
sculpture park in the world made by a single artist, and one of Norway’s most popular tourist sites. I felt a bit giddy and euphoric as I tripped the light fantastic through columns of sculpted men, women and children, each with their own distinct personality. Leaving the park, it struck me that this experience and the happy mood it created was a fine and good way to depart Oslo.
The Little Engine that Could We traveled to Myrdal where we boarded the Flam Railway, one of the world’s steepest railroad lines. It is a short 12 ½ mile ride to the town of Flam but during that time, we traveled through no less than 20 tunnels and panoramic views of rushing rivers, rustic farms, towering mountains, and - the majestic Kjosfossen Waterfall - 309 feet of gorgeous plunging water. The conductor stopped the train so we could photograph and told us that wood nymphs, it’s said, gather here and dance to Norwegian folk tunes. I clambered out quickly to see if I could spy one. Roaring and roiling, the falls spewed tiny droplets of foam and water over us and as I looked to the very top, I’m convinced I saw several tiny, cute wood nymphs frolicking above. Later, recounting this sighting, a few of my fellow passengers said they thought it just might have been the water spray, not nymphs. Ok. Nonetheless, I’m sticking to my story. Here Comes The Sun! After an hour, we arrived in the quaint village of Flam, situated in the innermost part of the Aulandsfjord and surrounded by steep mountains, many waterfalls and deep valleys. This spot is a paradise for anyone looking to experience spellbinding natural beauty in an intense way. We took a ferry through the Naeroyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in Norway and a UNESCO World Heritage site. After several days stumbling around
in low clouds and fog, as we sailed through the narrowest passage, the sun suddenly broke through, its appearance causing a mild sensation and all of us passengers erupting in spirited applause. Sheer granite walls towering on each side, the sea a crystalline blue, mighty waterfalls thundering around us – and sun! This was a very dramatic ferry ride to be sure. Flam is peaceful, albeit with several huge ships docked in its harbor. That evening we enjoyed just sitting on a bench in the town square with an ice cream watching the world stroll by.
Waterfall Country We sailed the Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord to Bergen, the city known as the Gateway to the Fjords, also inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This region is called Waterfall Country and is considered one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. On our six hour sail along the coast we saw many villages with small red houses, and on the hillsides, grazing goats and seals sunbathing on the rocks. The city of Bergen was founded in 1070 AD and was Norway’s first capital in the 13th century; today it is the largest city after Oslo. It is a major university town and was once an important trading and seafaring port. This town is known as one of the rainiest places on earth, yet the sun had followed us and stayed throughout the rest of our Norway visit. There’s lots to do in Bergen: we took a funicular from city’s center to the top of Mount Floyen. In seven minutes we were viewing a panorama of the city, the surrounding mountains and fjords. Later, we jumped on a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus called “City Sightseeing Bergen,” took a seat on top, kicked back and watched this colorful city pass before our eyes. Before leaving for home we found time to take the Bergen Express, a cute touring train, for some astonishing views and good snapshots. Our last evening in Bergen. It’s 7:30 and the sun is shining as if it were midday. It is one week today since Norway’s tragedy. We decide to walk over to the city square where the largest memorial, at an icon called Continued on page 25
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
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TRAVEL
Norway—There are Places You Leave, and Places that Never Leave You Continued from page 24 The Blue Stone, lies covered with tens of thousands of elaborate bouquets, simple sunflowers, votives and candles twinkling amid little handwritten notes of sadness. We hear in the distance the roar of motorcycles. The noise goes on – and on and on for perhaps twenty minutes. Is Bergen one of the cities chosen for biker gatherings? Then, parting the crowd and coming to encircle the memorial, nearly 300 members of biker clubs, from the Hell’s Angels and the Outlaws to the Banditos. A leader of the group asked for a minute of silence. Men and women bikers stood solemnly, lost in thought, bending to add their flowers and candles. Then, turning as a group, they walked slowly back to their bikes and rode away. Now, whenever I think of Norway I think of a quote by Krzyszof Kieslowski, the Polish film director and screen writer: “For me, optimism is two lovers walking into the sunset, arm in arm. Or maybe into the sunrise – whatever appeals to you.” The people of Norway,
descendents of Vikings, are brave and strong of character. And optimistic. Travel Editor Barbara Barton Sloane is constantly globe-hopping to share her unique experiences with our readers; from the exotic to the sublime. As Beauty/Fashion Editor she keeps us informed on the capricious and engaging fashion and beauty scene.
If You Go:
For Further Information: American Airlines www.visitnorway.com/us www.aa.com Daily one-stop flights to Oslo, Norway from JFK Good News: In July, American Airlines announced its decision to replace American’s narrowbody fleet over 5 years. The new aircraft will allow American to reduce its operating and fuel costs and deliver state-of-the-art amenities to its customers.
GovernmentSection MT. VERNON, NY— On Tues, August 29, 2011, Maureen Walker, Democrat for Mayor of Mount Vernon, picked up the endorsement of 1199 SEIU—one of the largest and fastest growing healthcare unions in the country— and one of the biggest unions in Mount Vernon. “We need a leader like Maureen Walker now more than ever before,” said George Gresham, President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. “During these tough economic times, we need a Mayor who will create jobs and strengthen the economy. We decided to endorse Maureen Walker because we believe she has integrity, she knows the issues that affect working people, and we trust she will move Mount Vernon in the right direction.” Walker, who has been the city’s comptroller since 1994, vowed to achieve the following as Mayor: • Spark economic growth and create jobs • Fight the recent spike in violent crime • Reform city government by making it more open and accountable • Reduce the tax burden on
homeowners and businesses • Make new recreational facilities available to youth “I am honored that the hardworking men and women of 1199 have decided to support me in my bid for Mayor of Mount Vernon, said Walker. “I look forward to working with such an outstanding coalition of healthcare and social service workers known for its tenacity, strong advocacy and collaborative spirit in order to restore our city to its former glory.” As comptroller, for the past 17 years, she helped to produce on-going budget surpluses and enabled the city to keep property tax increases to a minimum. She is the first woman, the first African-American and the first person of Caribbean descent to serve as Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon. She is a Certified Public Accountant, and holds an MBA in Finance from the University of New Haven and a B.Sc. in Accounting from Brooklyn College. 1199 SEIU represents over 350,000 members in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida and Washington D.C. Their mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all.
PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF MIKE BREEN
1199 SEIU Endorses Maureen Walker for Mayor of Mount Vernon
STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR TOUGH TIMES
Breen2011.com REPUBLICAN PRIMARY SEPTEMBER 13 th
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Mount Vernon CSEA Local 860 Endorses Comptroller Maureen Walker for Mayor The Mount Vernon CSEA Local 860 conducted its first ever Mayoral Candidate Ballot and is proud to announce that the members have overwhelmingly voted to support Maureen Walker as their choice for Mayor of Mount Vernon. All the mayoral candidates were interviewed. An archive of interviews is available to be heard online at the following Internet
address: http://csea860.org/ csea-fields-mount-vernonmayoral-candidates-interviews. A paper ballot was distributed in which Comptroller Walker prevailed as the candidate of choice. Taryn Vanderberg, president of CSEA Local 860 advised the local union will provide Comptroller Walker with a mailing, and
that members are encouraged to join the CSEA phone bank on Election Weekend. “CSEA Mount Vernon has been without a contract in over seven months, and it is our belief that Comptroller Walker will move forward with her stated promises, in continuing to be a strong supporter of
CSEA,” said President Vanderberg. Maureen Walker bested the other candidates, despite a low ballot turnout. Members had complained that the charged election climate was a factor in their decision to support one candidate over another and many simply refused to fill the ballot out.
GOVERNMENT
The Westchester Guardian’s Endorsement for Yonkers 5th City Council District By SAM ZHERKA Stephen Cerrato came out throwing haymakers in the first round, that is pre-Primary Election, in an interview with The Westchester Guardian. Cerrato is 34-years-old who resides in the Colonial Heights section of Yonkers with his wife and two children. He is a successful attorney and accountant with a background in finance. His expertise is protecting clients from financial disaster and organizing people’s finances. Cerrato, formerly worked for the Gabelli Fund, a multi-billion dollar fund, and is now vying for the Yonkers 5th City Council District seat currently held by John Murtagh. Murtagh is term limited and is the party’s pick for mayor in the Republican Primary against Richard Martinelli, a long time political name, and maverick Carlo Calvi. Stephen Cerrato was found to be most qualified of the three candidates seeking the 5th Council District seat. He was thereby cross endorsed by the Independence Party, the Conservative Party and Right to Life Party. He is now vying for the Republican
designation win in the September 13th Primary Election against Joe Crotty, and the Republican Party backed candidate, Mike Breen. “I’m no puppet for any party,” said Cerrato, during the interview. “If elected, I will serve The People and only The People. He desires to follow in his father’s foot steps. Stephen Cerrato is the son of 11-year veteran Yonkers City Court Judge Robert Cerrato who was re-elected to his second 10-year term to the bench last year. Judge Cerrato, independent of the Republican political machine fought an uphill battle in a highly contested election and won without the support of the political party or party bosses. “The Republican Party in Yonkers is in shambles,” said Cerrato. “It’s no longer who’s the best candidate for the job, but who owes who a favor; and that’s the problem,” said Cerrato. If elected Cerrato promises to support consolidation of services, pay cuts for certain department heads, cut the size of government, eliminate busing, eliminate patronage jobs, and make hard decisions, no matter which politician or political party he alienates. “I will
put the needs of the many over the needs of the few,” said Cerrato. Cerrato promises to hold frequent town hall meetings to give his constituents an opportunity to be heard. “I have never heard from John Murtagh, the current two-term councilman, not even once,” said Cerrato. “One problem is that that the current city council doesn’t understand development, finance, and accounting, and that’s why there’s an $85 million deficit,” said Cerrato. “They blame the state and the unions but the big problems lie with politics and the political parties. The political parties are calling all the shots and it’s costing the citizenry. Yonkers is broke,” said Cerrato. The Westchester Guardian contacted a number of registered Yonkers Republicans who unanimously agreed with the views of Stephen Cerrato. One man who asked to be identified only as Scott, who lives on Scarsdale Road, in Yonkers, told The Westchester Guardian that, “the world’s oldest profession is now considered a more honorable profession than that of a politician. I will vote for the candidate with the least political ties,
concluded Scott. Cerrato describes himself as a Conservative-Republican but says that he really belongs to The People’s “party,” and no place else. He vowed to never support a tax increases and would not seek re-election if he did. “The People are broke. We can’t continue raising taxes said Cerrato. “With an economy enduring a 9% unemployment rate, a record number of home foreclosures, a looming double-dip recession, Yonkers can no longer afford politics,” said Cerrato. The future of all the citizens of Yonkers rests on the decisions that are made in the voting booth in the September 13th Election Primary. Cerrato urges The People to vote for him because he understands the issues and is most equipped to deal with the problems. Cerrato told The Westchester Guardian that his expertise in the fields of Law, Accounting, and Finance make him best suitable for the job. The Westchester Guardian made several calls to the Yonkers City Republican Committee and Republican Party boss John Jacono for comment. Those calls went unanswered.
investigator for the Village of Tuckahoe places the blame on the deceased men themselves. By entering that toxic manhole, even though there was no confined space protocol in place by the Village of Tarrytown and no supervisor on the actual scene blame falls of the shoulders of the deceased. This judgment further orders DPW Scott Weaver, who had been on paid leave, back to work immediately. In essence, the Village of Tarrytown, its administration, and Mr. Weaver have been relieved of any responsibility in the deaths of the two men. In addition, any fire department officers who were present at the time of the accident have also been relieved of any accusation
concerning wrongdoing or negligence that may have contributed to the deaths of John Kelly and Anthony Ruggerio. This finding is sad and troubling on so many levels. Perhaps even sadder than placing the blame on the two deceased men is the fact that the Village is not accepting any responsibility for the deaths and there still isn’t a hard law on the books that will provide the safety of any man or woman who must work in a confined space. By exonerating the Village and its agents from any culpability for this accident also leaves the families of the two men in limbo. At question will be whether they will be able to collect any accidental death benefit for their loved
ones or whether they will even be able to file a wrongful death suit. Perhaps the saddest thing of all is that there were members of the fire department slapping each other on the back stating, “We did it.” What does that mean? Were these two men not your colleagues or are they slapping their backs because they protected a former fire chief who not only didn’t have the appropriate certifications but was derelict in his duty to perform the most basic charge of keeping all of his men safe. …And how do the trustees live with themselves?
INVESTIGATION
Gone and Forgotten By NANCY KING
Last week, The Westchester Guardian reported that as we approached the one year anniversary of the deaths of Anthony Ruggerio and John Kelly in a toxic manhole on Labor Day of 2010, there was still no final determination of who would ultimately be responsible for their deaths. As of Tuesday, August 29th, we received word that the final report from an independent
Nancy King is a resident of Greenburgh, New York.
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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PEOPLE
Senator Stewart-Cousins Honors United States Cadet Nurse Corps Former Cadet Nurses From Yonkers Receive New York Senate Resolutions
US Cadet Nurses and ASC (L-R): Anneliesse Zasoda, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Anne Kakos (Photo by and courtesy of David Ancruem)
YONKERS, NY -- Joined by several Yonkers Veterans and community members, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D/I/WF – 35th District) honored two former United States Cadet Nurses last week at a ceremony in her district office. Anne Kakos and Anneliesse Zasoda, both of Yonkers, received Senate resolutions that recognized the service of the United State Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II. The resolutions were sponsored by Senator Stewart-Cousins and passed the New York Senate in June. “Anne, Anneliesse and the Cadet Nurses not only played a vital role in US history, but in women’s history as well, so I thought it was important for New York State to pay tribute to these remarkable ladies and the rest of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins. The United States Nurse Cadet Corp was formed by an act of Congress in 1943 to address the severe stateside nursing shortage during World War II. Known as “The Nurse Training Act,” this law established a Division of Nurse Education, which distributed grants to nursing schools throughout the country for accelerated training programs. The Division reported directly to the Surgeon General of the United States. Any person, mostly women, who joined the Corps received a government subsidy
for tuition, books, a uniform and a monthly stipend for living expenses. In return, Cadet Nurses pledged to serve in the nation’s civilian and military hospitals for the duration of the war. In just 5 years (from 1943-1948), over 180,000 nurses were trained through the Cadet Nurse Corps. “When we think about women during World War II, many of us remember the image of Rosie the Riveter working in the factory. But the Cadet Nurses were also an integral part of the war effort, which is why we must always remember their service to our nation,” the Senator added. Today, despite their service during World War II, former members of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps are not officially recognized as military veterans. This means that thousands of surviving Cadet Nurses cannot take advantage of veterans’ benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Anne Kakos and other former members of the Corps have lobbied the Federal government to change this, and Congresswoman Nita Lowey has even introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to officially recognize the Cadet Nurses as military veterans. The bill has been referred to the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
US Cadet Nurses and Group (Top Row – L-R): Eder Paredes, Eli Vetrano, Nick Stilo, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Elliot Palais, Loraine Palais, and (Bottom Row – L-R): Anneliesse Zasoda, Anne Kakos (Photo by and courtesy of David Ancruem)
• Word is the Yonkers 2012 Budget Deficit(s) will exceed $100 Million • Who do you believe will handle the disaster? - A “City Hall” First, Taxpayer Last, Party Machine Politician - A Career Politician with no business or executive experience - Or an independent, Experienced Financial Executive, whose priority is Taxpayers
Vote Bob Flower for Mayor September 13 Democratic Primary
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
OpEdSection WEIR ONLY HUMAN
Red Light Cameras – Highway Robbery! By BOB WEIR
You’re driving on your way home from work and mulling over some of the day’s events in your mind as you approach the green light at an intersection. About 50 feet away, the light turns to yellow and you know you have plenty of time to get by it before it becomes red. Halfway through the thoroughfare, just as the light passes over the top of your windshield, the crimson beam makes its appearance. You’ve easily reached the other side of the street before the opposing traffic gets the green go-ahead signal. You continue along, confident that you cleared the byway lawfully. About a week later, you find a traffic summons in your mailbox ordering you to pay $150 fine for passing a red light. According to the edict, you were caught by a camera that has your picture and plate number branding you as a red light runner. Stunned, you stare at the legal notice and try to remember when this so-called violation occurred. That may not be easy because the set of facts described above is a common driving pattern that most people engage in without a second thought. The yellow light is a warning that the red light will follow in a matter of seconds, therefore, if the driver is near enough to the cross street to pass it within seconds, he/ she is most likely to continue driving, rather
than jam on the brakes and perhaps get rearended by another car. Nevertheless, you’ve been summoned by the Big Brother of that city, and you can either mail in the money or plead not guilty and try to fight it in court. That could mean taking a day off of work, sitting around in a crowded courtroom, and pleading your case against an intractable video that will coldly indict you for something you barely remember doing. If you had been pulled over by a police officer, you could have debated the reasonableness of being ticketed under the circumstances. Furthermore, if you lost the debate, you would at least have recalled the incident. Inasmuch as taking a day off of work may cost you more than the ticket price, you’re likely to simply grimace and pay it. It seems to me that being convicted by a machine is antithetical to everything we learn about fair play and justice. You can’t argue with a contraption if the authority paying for the robotic tyrant is determined to agree with the judgment made by the device. We’re told it saves money because it requires less cops to enforce traffic laws, allowing them to stay vigilant for more serious crimes. Using that logic, we should have numerous cameras in high-crime areas to assure the public that felony prevention is more important than minor traffic infractions. The reason that
won’t happen is because a city can bring in a lot more revenue by picking off the errant motorist, who is most likely able to pay the fine, than by arresting itinerant dirt bags for burglary or purse-snatching, since they are most likely to be unemployed, hence, unable to contribute to the local treasury. Simply put, the hardworking, law-abiding taxpayer is a lucrative target for municipalities that are always looking for more cash to feed their insatiable appetite for other people’s money. Thankfully, people are fighting back against this legalized robbery of the citizenry. Lawsuits have been filed in several cities, not only claiming, but proving, that some cameras have shorter yellow-light durations than state law requirements in order to catch drivers running red lights and boost ticket revenue. The implications of those findings are frightening when you realize that a city can increase revenue enormously simply by tweaking the time frame by a split-second, thereby making violators out of lawful citizens and ripping them off with impunity. In some areas of the country people are becoming violent, vandalizing the polemounted cameras by literally shooting them off their lofty perches. One notorious resistance operative has been wearing Halloween masks to keep the authorities from proving who was operating his vehicle. Some of these tactics, assisted by other forms of public outrage, are working. Two large cities, Los Angeles and Houston, have recently banned the red light surveillance systems
Yet, New York City, where I worked as a cop for 20 years, has increased the number of metallic peeping Toms. In the past, when the city wanted people to pony up more dough, the word came down from the mayor’s office to the police commissioner’s office to the division office to the precinct captain that there was dissatisfaction with the lack of “traffic enforcement” in the city. Those were code words for; tell your subordinates to get those pens working or expect a lot more supervision! Now, a city can pick your pocket with the click of a camera!! Bob Weir is a veteran of 20 years with the New York Police Dept. (NYPD), ten of which were performed in plainclothes undercover assignments. During his early years with NYPD, Bob earned a Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude from New York Institute of Technology. He retired as a sergeant after supervising patrol in Midtown Manhattan, the busiest precinct in the country. After owning and operating a wine and liquor retail business in Long Island for 5 years, he sold it and moved to Flower Mound, Texas. Bob began a writing career about 12 years ago and had his first book published in 1999. Bob went on to write and publish a total of seven novels, “Murder in Black and White,” “City to Die For,” “Powers that Be,” “Ruthie’s Kids,” “Deadly to Love,” “Short Stories of Life and Death,” and “Out of Sight.” He also became a syndicated columnist under the title “Weir Only Human.”
indicted and convicted on the basis of audits performed by me and/or testimony given by me at various trials. None of the individuals indicted or convicted ever reported to me or was ever associated with the Comptroller’s Office. Some examples of work performed by the Comptroller’s Office that uncovered fraud and resulted in indictments and convictions include: • A & D Carting, Department of Public Works – Reported to Mayor • Parking Department, Planning Department – Reported to Mayor • Department of Consumer Protection – Reported to Mayor • Housing and Urban Development – Reported to Mayor As Comptroller, my office has collected over $3billion in cash inflows over the last 17
years without any major incidents or scandals. I run a very tight ship.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Friend: You recently received a mailing that accused me of wrongdoing in a number of situations dating back to 2006. These accusations are completely false and I will address each one individually. In every case in which there was wrongdoing associated with money in Mount Vernon, I, Maureen Walker was the first individual to identify the problem and I worked tirelessly with law enforcement officials to get to the bottom of it. Every one of the individuals who took part in these schemes to defraud the city were identified,
CHARGE: I am a conservative • F ACT: I am not a conservative. I am a lifelong Democrat and subscribe to the philosophy of the Democratic Party. I even received a personal invitation to President Obama’s Inaugural Ceremony.
CHARGE: My “conservative” friends insulted Mayor Blackwood • F ACT: No one in the company of me has ever made any derogatory remarks about former Mayor Blackwood. In fact it was my initiative and determation that pushed for the naming of the court building/police headquarters after Mayor Blackwood.
CHARGE: I received a Political Contribution of $850.00 from
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Transcamp Equipment Corp in April 2006 • F ACT: This amount represents the purchase of a table of 10 at my annual fundraising dinner/dance in May 2006. Ten of our senior citizens used the tickets purchased by Transcamp Equipment Corp.
CHARGE: I am associated with the Conservative Tea party agenda • F ACT: This claim is ridiculous. I have never been associated with conservative ideas such as the reduction of government programs such as medicaid, medicare, and social security. I have always supported a
woman’s right to choose and will continue to do so.
CHARGE: I cannot do my job while also Teaching at Iona College • F ACT: As an adjunct Professor I taught at Iona College and I also teach as a Junior Achievement Consultant with the Mount Vernon School District. I am a firm believer in the importance of education to the development of our children and for almost 20 years I have actively participated in classroom activities aimed at achieving this objective. I believe in giving back to the community what I was blessed to receive – a good education. This teaching has not affected my ability to do my job as
your comptroller and I spend in excess of 40 hours a week in my office since teaching is on a part-time basis. As an elected official, I am on duty 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and spend considerable amounts of time representing the city at events and conferences during nights and weekends. I also do a significant amount of work at home even meeting and talking to taxpayers. I receive a small stipend from Iona college, which is used to attend charitable affairs (scholarship luncheons). In my annual ethics statement, my teaching activity is and has been fully disclosed as required by law. I hope the facts I provided in this letter
will assist you in making an informed decision on Tuesday, September 13th. I vow to maintain an open door policy during this campaign and I promise to do the same when I am Mayor. If you have any questions on where I stand on the issues, please contact me directly at walker4mayor@aol.com. I will be happy to talk to you. Sincerely, Maureen Walker Maureen Walker, CPA, MBA, BSc. (Hons) Democratic Candidate for Mayor 2011
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Voting with Your Head By JOHN FAVA Reducing taxes is primarily achieved by not creating additional financial demands. The Atlantic Development Project slated for Gramatan Avenue, adjacent to Hartley Park, is a project that would create new taxes for the City of Mt. Vernon for many years to come. The developer has applied for HUD-backed loans and Westchester Countyounty assisted grants along with a PILOT (Payment In Leu Of Taxes) program. The number presently being debated about is between $500 and $800 per year, per unit while similar units being rented throughout Mt. Vernon pay between $2300 and $2800 per year, per unit. The Mayor and 4 of the 5 members of the City Council had agreed to have the taxpayers of Mt. Vernon pick up the additional costs created by this tax shortfall - for the next 37 years. The rich get richer and the middle class home and business owners get zonked again. This is what a one party type of government does to a community. It has gotten so bad that the Democratic Party is splintering into different groups; while some will continue to follow the present leaders, hoping there is still enough vulnerability among the voters to get themselves elected, while other members of the party attempt to recreate some credibility. The Atlantic Development Group, Our Mayor and Our City Council all tried to say that from the 377 units there would only be 32 school-aged children; the number has since risen to 68, and that is only half of what is really expected. Our school system does
not produce college bound students, individuals with a trade expertise, or even after school programs to keep the children active in something other then criminal mischief. More crime means more police, more property damage, higher insurance rates, more medical costs, fewer businesses moving into the city to replace the businesses moving out--fewer jobs. More vacancies!!! Three separate buildings over 375 units with an estimated 700 residents, low-income units, senior citizen units, and teenagers ---- 77 jobs??? A residential building only employs a few maintenance personnel at 4 supers/bldg. to cover 24/7 services, we have 12 jobs. In anarea that already has a parking problem, you add 377 units with inadequate parking facilities, will create an even greater burden. If the addition of 700 people will improve the Gramatan Ave. business district why isn’t 4th Ave. one of the best shopping areas in Westchester County? If we do not have a solution to the problems we are experiencing today, how can we even consider increasing the problems? Selecting a governing body such as this is similar to building a house on quick sand. If you feel you should vote for one or more of these individuals because they are your friends then you are part of the problem and do not want a solution. Please vote this election with your head and not your heart---you and your children’s futures depend on it. John Fava is a candidate vying to be The People’s representative to the Mounct Vernon City Council›
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please submit your Letter to the Editor electronically, that is by directing email to WHYTeditor@gmail.com Please confine your writing to between 350 and 500 words. Your name, address, and telephone contact is requested for verification purpose only. A Letter to the Editor will be accepted at the editor’s discretion when space permits. A maximum of one submission per month may be accepted.
Mount Vernon Police Officer Minorities, Veterans and Women Are Encouraged To Apply EARN UP TO $80,000 PER YEAR Date of Written Examination SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2011 Last Date for Filing ApplicationFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 BENEFITS including health and dental insurance, paid vacation, sick and personal leave, 12 paid holidays. REQUIREMENTS: Candidates must be at least 20 and have not reached their 35th birthday by date of exam. Must possess a High School Diploma or Equivalency Diploma, US Citizenship, and Valid NYS Driver’s License. RESIDENCY: Candidates must be legal residents of Westchester, Nassau, Putnam, Rockland, Orange or 5 Boroughs for at least 3 months immediately preceding date of written exam and continuously until date of appointment. Preference in appointment will be given to successful candidates who have been legal residents of the City of Mount Vernon for at least 3 months immediately preceding the date of the written exam. A CANDIDATE’S RESIDENCY WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND VERIFIED BEFORE APPOINTMENT. HOW TO APPLY: Applications may be obtained at Civil Service, Room 14, Mount Vernon City Hall, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or at http://cmvny.com/job-postings/; or at Mount Vernon Police Headquarters, 2 Roosevelt Square North, Mount Vernon, NY. Veteran’s Credits should be claimed at the time of filing application by presenting Military Separation Papers (DD-214) ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE RETURNED TO CIVIL SERVICE OFFICE IN PERSON OR BY MAIL NO LATER THAN 4:00 P.M., SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 WITH A NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION FEE ($25.00 FOR RESIDENTS | $75.00 FOR NON-RESIDENTS) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: 914-481-2677 OR 914-665-2357 E-MAIL: RECRUIT@PD.CMVNY.COM The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer This is for informational purposes only
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
ED KOCH COMMENTARY
We Have the Power—A Constitutional Amendment to Take Back Our Government By ED KOCH Money has taken over our political system in a way that is simply horrifying. Special interest groups in particular corporations, unions, Wall Streeters and bankers dominate our politics. They have devastated this country economically, yet they have gotten away with it because they choose and finance our candidates for low and high public office. We complain but do nothing about this situation and feel helpless. But we are not helpless. Because of our numbers, we have in our power the ability to amend the Constitution of the United States to vastly limit the power of money to manipulate and control the electoral process. Let’s do it. Those in our society who unfairly use the power of money to oppress us do not have to prevail. They are vastly outnumbered by the backbone of our nation, the middle class, and by others who are similarly outraged by the power of money to oppress us. Whenever commentators talk about a possible political candidate running for high office, particularly for president, their first observation will be, does he/she have the capacity to raise the money needed to fund the campaign? President Obama, seen as a reformer to his supporters, surprised many when he announced he would be raising a billion dollars for his 2012 reelection campaign. He expects the Republicans will be raising at least that much and probably more. The U.S. Supreme Court in a host of decisions has made clear that it interprets
the Constitution as allowing the broadest freedom in spending money on a campaign for public office. The case which set the tone for the cases to follow was Valeo v. Buckley in 1976. It established that candidates for public office who agreed not to take public funding could spend as much of their own money as they wanted to on their own campaigns, federal, state and local. The most recent of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on this issue, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in 2010, went further and stated that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections. Rules are imposed by the Federal Campaign Finance Board on federal campaigns. Localities like New York City have their own monitoring agencies. Candidates are required to make a host of public filings on amounts collected, monies spent, and provide the names of contributors to the different campaigns, both those administered by the candidates directly and those administered independently of the candidates but supporting candidates or public issues. The rules are many and campaigns employ lawyers and accountants to follow them. Many candidates fail to file all the information required or to observe all the regulations and are subject to major fines. The greatest expenditure for most campaigns is the cost of television and radio commercials, the former far outweighing any other media. The television licenses provided by the government could require as they do in some other countries that the
station provide the candidates with free time and remove that enormous financial burden from the campaign. Regrettably, that has not happened in our country. The television industry is far too powerful to permit such free access. The television industry is one of the special interests dominating the Congress. This past weekend there was a frontpage article in The New York Times addressing the issue of campaign finance. The Times and other newspapers and opinion makers have addressed that issue in the past, but apparently for the most part, those articles and the inherent warnings have fallen on deaf ears. Neither the Congress nor the public has responded with action. The Times of August 28 reported on an independent committee raising money for Republican Governor Romney’s campaign for president. The reporter, Nicholas Confessore, wrote: “Mr. Romney’s appearance underscored the increasingly blurry line between presidential candidates and the so-called Super PACs that have proliferated since a 2010 Supreme Court ruling allowed independent groups to raise unlimited amounts to promote candidates.” The article went on: “Increasingly, the new Super PACs are taking on tasks that in previous years were handled by – and paid for – the candidates themselves. But instead of using money raised in the $2,500 increments that federal law imposes on candidates, the Super PACs can accept donations of unlimited amounts. (The
groups must disclose their donors, though some Super PACs, including Priorities USA and the Karl Rove-founded American Crossroads, have affiliated nonprofit arms that do not have to disclose donors.)” What is so absurd is that there is a remedy: a constitutional amendment. Yes, it is difficult to pass a constitutional amendment and rightfully so. The Constitution shouldn’t be easily amended. But this situation is so awful, I have no doubt that Democrats, Republicans, Independents and others would flock to the cause. Around the world many times through violence and non-violence, as was just illustrated in India, through an act of pacifism by one person and his willingness to engage in a hunger strike, the people in all their majesty win. Why don’t the good government groups in our country convene a meeting to discuss how best to proceed with a constitutional amendment limiting the amounts of money that can be raised from any one individual, corporation or union and spent in any election for public office by candidates and their supporters? We currently have no greater need than that of protecting our democratic system of government. The Honorable Edward Irving Koch served New York City as its 105th Mayor from 1978 to 1089.
OPED
Why We Need Council Districts in the City of Mount Vernon By SAMUEL L. RIVERS This campaign is about creating a City government for all residents and all communities, not just the political insiders and the big money donors. Electing one person who represents you and your community is better than voting for five people who do not represent you and are not accountable to you or your community.
responsible for representing your community. With Council Districts, you will have a City Council member from your community representing you and your community. You will have a Council Member attending school board meetings and community events all the time, not just Election years. It means that all parts of Mount Vernon will have an equal say at City Hall.
Better Representation:
With Council Districts, you will have a Council Member who answers to you. You will know who to call with a question.
Currently our 5 City Council members represent the whole City, but no one is
More Accountability:
That person’s job will depend on how well he or she represents your community. Under the current system, a Council Member can ignore whole sections of Mount Vernon and still be re-elected.
More Openness: So far in 2011, 100 percent of the City Council’s votes have been unanimous. The 100 percent unanimous votes do not reflect our diverse communities and interests. City Council Districts will ensure that every community has a say at City Hall. With Council Districts, we will have more public
input, more debate and decisions that reflect all our communities.
Takes the Big Money Out of City Politics: City Council members raise over $20,000 in each election cycle. That is legal and necessary, but they rely on politically connected big donors while challengers and “citizen legislators” cannot raise those funds. With City Council Districts, community ties matter more than money. With City Council Districts, candidates will win based on what they do for your community.
No New Costs: This campaign is about creating a Continued on page 31
The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
Page 31
OPED Why We Need Council Districts in the City of Mount Vernon Continued from page 30 City government for all residents and all communities, not just the political insiders and the big money donors. Electing one person who represents you and your community is better than voting for five people who do not represent you and are not accountable to you or your community.
Better Representation: Currently our 5 City Council members represent the whole City, but no one is responsible for representing your community. With Council Districts, you will have a City Council member from your community representing you and your community.
You will have a Council Member attending school board meetings and community events all the time, not just Election years. It means that all parts of Mount Vernon will have an equal say at City Hall.
More Accountability: With Council Districts, you will have a Council Member who answers to you. You will know who to call with a question. That person’s job will depend on how well he or she represents your community. Under the current system, a Council Member can ignore whole sections of Mount Vernon and still be re-elected.
More Openness: So far in 2011, 100 percent of the City Council’s votes have been unanimous. The 100 percent unanimous votes do not reflect our diverse communities and interests. City Council Districts will ensure that every community has a say at City Hall. With Council Districts, we will have more public input, more debate and decisions that reflect all our communities.
Takes the Big Money Out of City Politics: City Council members raise over $20,000 in each election cycle. That is legal and necessary, but they rely on politically connected big donors while challengers and
Nuclear Plants Face System-Wide Earthquake Safety Review By Roger Witherspoon The Nuclear Regulatory Commission may force the nation’s nuclear power plants to reevaluate their earthquake detection and safety systems and the manner in which they calculate their resistance to earthquakes as a result of unexpected damage to American
and foreign reactor complexes caused by recent earthquakes. The agency has been studying the need to upgrade earthquake protections and evaluations since 2005, in partial recognition of the inadequacy of nuclear plant designs based on the fledgling science of
seismology in the 1950s and early 1960s. But the extensive damage to the six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan, and unexpected damage to the twin North Anna nuclear power plants in Virginia caused by the August 23 earthquake has given new impetus to the NRC’s
“citizen legislators” cannot raise those funds. With City Council Districts, community ties matter more than money. With City Council Districts, candidates will win based on what they do for your community.
No New Costs: No new layers, no new staff and no new costs. Four towns on Long Island have made the switch and none have raised costs because of Council Districts. No new layers, no new staff and no new costs. Four towns on Long Island have made the switch and none have raised costs because of Council Districts. Samuel L. Rivers is a candidate for Mount Vernon City Council.
ongoing work. Though the damage to the North Anna Units 1 & 2, about 40 southeast of Richmond, are considered minor, the plants remain shut pending a special inspection ordered by Victor McCree, director of Region II, which encompasses southern nuclear operations and the construction of any new reactors anywhere in the country. The decision to send a formal Augmented Inspection Team followed the notification by Dominion Power, which owns and operates the North Anna plants Continued on page 32
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
GOVERNMENT
Nuclear Plants Face System-Wide Earthquake Safety Review Continued from page 31 that the ground motion of the Virginia earthquake, measured at 5.8 in magnitude, “may have exceeded the ground motion for which it was designed.” All of the nation’s nuclear power plants, which were designed in the 1950s and 1960s, were supposed to be able to handle the acceleration of the ground motion and shaking associated with the largest historically recorded earthquake within a 50 mile radius of the site. For North Anna, a ground motion of .12 of normal gravity is the “design basis” incorporated into the plant’s license. That was based on an earthquake of a magnitude 4.8, and the plant was designed to withstand the gravitational tug resulting from an earthquake of 5.1 in magnitude. McCree said in a statement that “the AIT provides us with the resources needed to completely understand all of the effects at North Anna and gather important information for the NRC’s continuing evaluation of earthquake risk at all U.S. nuclear plants.” While the major safety and structural systems at North Anna are apparently undamaged, the transformer providing off site power failed, causing an immediate “station blackout” and shutdown. The plant’s diesel generators kept the reactors and spent fuel pools cool until off site power was restored. “Not only are the operating reactors getting special attention,” said NRC spokesman Roger Hannah, “but we are also looking at the spent fuel pools and the dry cask storage area, where 25 of the 27 casks moved slightly during the earthquake. They weigh 100 tons or so when fully loaded, and it would take significant movement of the earth for them to fall over. But they moved from a half inch to 4.5 inches on their pad.” It had been thought that the massive concrete and steel dry casks would be impervious to any eastern earthquakes. In this case, said Hannah, none of the casks appear to have been breached. But on Thursday, the regulatory agency signaled its intention to issue a “generic letter” to all 104 nuclear power plants requesting a new evaluation of the manner in which earthquakes were analyzed and incorporated into their designs, and what steps, if any, may be needed to strengthen the plants and their support systems. A special inspection of all the nation’s nuclear plants after the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plants this spring discovered that while most plants
should be able to withstand known levels of regional earthquakes, their support systems were not protected. In many cases, should an earthquake trigger a fire, the buildings on plant sites housing firefighting equipment, and the water mains from the municipal water systems were not designed to meet any earthquake standards and could be wrecked in a severe earthquake. In addition, all nuclear plants have miles of underground pipes and conduits – many of these encased in concrete and inaccessible to inspections. Virtually all of the ageing plants have leaked radioactive water into the surrounding environment, primarily through these underground systems, or deteriorated spent fuel pools. New York’s Indian Point plants have continuously leaked into what amounts to a radioactive lake under the plants, about 25 miles north of New York City, which is steadily seeping into the Hudson River. In New Jersey, the twin Salem nuclear plants in Lower Alloways Creek Township have leaked radioactive water into catch basins flowing into the Delaware River, and the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, in Lacey Township, is still cleaning up a radioactive leak in 2002 that contaminated Barnegat Bay. The major problem with the earthquake-proof designs of current operating reactors is that the basis for their 2 calculations column was wrong. “All of these numbers were derived in the late 60s,” said Lyn Sykes, Higgins Professor Emeritus of Earth and Environmental Science at the Columbia University LamontDoherty Earth Observatory in New York. “At that time, they didn’t have recordings of earthquakes from the eastern and central part of the US, so they used western earthquakes as models. “The difference is that for a given sized earthquake, like the last one at 5.8, earthquakes in the east are felt out to a much larger distance. In California, with softer ground, an earthquake is not felt out to a large distance and damage doesn’t occur out to a large distance. And that does call into question the reliability of their standards.” Last week’s earthquake, Sykes said, was larger than the design basis for Salem 1&2, Hope and Oyster Creek nuclear plants in New Jersey, and Indian Point 2 & 3 in New York. “For the basis of their designs,” said Sykes, “they used the 1884 earthquake off Sandy Hook near the mouth of New York
Harbor, near Coney Island – which gave the quake its name. That quake was about 5.25 in magnitude.” In that case, he said, the energy associated with last week’s 5.8-magnitude earthquake would be about five times the design basis for these nuclear facilities. As a percentage of gravitational forces, the design basis used in the construction is 0.15 G for Indian Point; 0.184 for Oyster Creek; and 0.20 for Hope Creek and Salem 1&2. The difference in their design requirements is based on the solidity of the rocks they are built on. Jon Armbruster a geophysicist at the Earth Institute and co-author with Sykes of an analysis of earthquakes over the last 300 years from Philadelphia to New York, “When they designed these plants, they chose an earthquake and the design basis figure represented how strongly the 1884 quake was felt in the area. There were two other quakes of that magnitude, in 1737 and 1783, and they were felt from Maine to Virginia and caused some chimneys to fall down. The 1884 quake also caused a railway embankment in Peekskill to slump into the river. In Virginia, the largest earthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 4.8. In the New York City area we have some 300 to 400-year histories and the largest earthquakes known were of a magnitude 5 or 5.3 I don’t think they have been allowing a large enough margin of uncertainty to have planned for a magnitude 5.8. “What we have learned is that earthquakes around here can occur at a pretty shallow depth. In California, a shallow depth is one or two miles. I’ve been to places around here where earthquakes are not more than 100 meters from the surface. In 1994 there was a magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Redding, Pa., and as closely as we could measure, it was centered 100 yards below the surface. “ When these five regional nuclear power plants were designed, Armbruster added, it was not known that earthquakes could be generated at shallow depths and designers utilized what little data was available from California and other western earthquakes in their planning. “The difference between a California quake and one here was not clearly known back then. Now it is known and quantified that the shaking around here is quite different. “The nuclear plants in southern New
Jersey are not built on actual solid rock, though it is on pretty strong material. To an extent, that reduces the shaking. Each reactor design is different and has its peculiarities of design that need to be individually analyzed in a seismic hazard study. “It’s like building on jello. If you put the apartment building on jello and you shake the bowl, the jello quivers and the apartment building shakes a lot. To be safe in the earth equivalent of jello you would have to build your nuclear power plant in what amounts to a concrete boat, so it could essentially float when the jello shook and be strong enough to remain standing.” Jim Norville, a spokesman for Dominion, said the company’s engineers and the NRC inspectors are seeking greater understanding of the differences between east and west coast earthquakes and its implications for the plants critical systems. We found no significant damage,” he said. But we want a better understanding of why the units shut down.” So does the NRC. Spokeswoman Diane Screnci said the agency is seeking public comment on a proposed “generic Letter” to plant operators on a review of seismic hazards and design techniques. The response from the North Anna inspection and the generic latter may determine if the NRC mandates retrofitted improvements on existing critical buildings and systems. Roger Witherspoon writes Energy Matters at 1 column www.RogerWitherspoon.com
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The Westchester Guardian
LEGAL NOTICES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
Page 33
CLASSIFIED ADS
SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Office Space AvailableIndex No.: 4189-10 Date of Filing: July 13, 2010 Prime Location, Yorktown SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF Westchester Heights Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee under Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of February 1, 2003 Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors Trust Mortgage Loan Asset1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact JaiBacked Certificates, Series 2003-WMC1, Plaintiff, me: 914.632.1230 -againstDeer Mngmnt seeks Lead ApplicaEILEEN MYERS A/K/A EILEEN MEYERS A/K/A EILEEN LIERMAN; CONSOLIDATED EDISON COMPANY OF NEW YORK, INC.; DELIA LOPEZ, if living, or if either or all be dead, their wives, hustion Developer in Larchmont, NY bands, heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, assignees, lienors and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said DELIA LOPEZ, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and the respective husbands, wives, widow or widowers of them, if any, to support analysis, design, impl & all of whose names are unknown to plaintiff; ERIC M. FAYER; JEMAB FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP A/K/A JEMAE FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; LEHRMAN, KRONIC AND LEHRMAN, testing of new & existing bus sysLLP; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; PETERBUILT ELECTRIC, INC.; SAIDEL AND SAIDEL, P.C. C/O TRAUB LIEBERMAN, STRAUSS AND SHREWSBERR; TONY tems & serve as lead programmer FELICIO; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; “JOHN DOES” and “JANE DOES”, said names being fictitious, parties intended being possible tenants or occupants of premises, and corporations, other entities or persons who claim, or may claim, a lien against the premises, Defendants. for custom app dev related areas TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: incl software coding, database deYOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a Notice of Appearsign, & report writing. Resumes to ance on the Plaintiff’s attorney(s) within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, where service is made by delivery upon you personally within the State, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner, and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against Deer Management Co LLC., ATTN: you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. JAmbrosino, 1865 Palmer Avenue, NOTICE Larchmont, NY 10538, Ref. job code: YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME LAD-029. No calls/emails/faxes If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on EOE. how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. Prime Retail - Westchester YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. County YOU ARE HEREBY PUT ON NOTICE THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. Best Location in Yorktown Heights TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: 1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Honorable Orazio R. Bellantoni of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, signed on January 25, Ft. store $2800 and 450 Sq. Ft. 2011, and filed with supporting papers in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Westchester, State of New York. Store $1200. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by EILEEN MYERS A/K/A EILEEN MEYERS A/K/A EILEEN LIERMAN to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as Nominee for WMC Mortgage Corporation in the principal amount of $138,400.00, which mortgage was recorded in Westchester County, State of New York, on Suitable for any type of business. December 26, 2002, as Control No. 423430737. Said mortgage was thereafter assigned to the Plaintiff by assignment of mortgage recorded October 8, 2009 as Control No. 49266057. Contact Jaime: 914.632.1230 Said premises being known as and by 1430 MAIN ST, PEEKSKILL, NY 10566. Date: April 22, 2010 Batavia, New York Laura Strauss, Esq. ROSICKI, ROSICKI & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER Batavia Office 26 Harvester Avenue In the Matters of Nathan F. Thompson (d.o.b November 13, 2010), Docket No.: NN- 15705-10/11A Batavia, NY 14020 585.815.0288 A Child Under 21 Years of Age FU No.: 123385 Adjudicated to be Neglected by ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE INQUEST NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE Antoinette Thompson, (Child Neglect Case) ARCADIA AVC, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER, State (SSNY) 5/9/2011. Office in Westchester Co. Respondent. US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process NOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN YOUR LOSS OF YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF OF CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, ASSET may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF THE MOST RECENT 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO BACKED PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES The LLC 1422 Arlington St Mamaroneck, NY 10543 FILE A PETITION TO TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE 2006-FX1 UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING Purpose: Any lawful activity. Registered Agent: CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION, AND MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15-MONTH PERIOD. AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 1, 2006, WITHOUT Paul Williams 1422 Arlington St Mamaroneck, NY UPON GOOD CAUSE, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NON-RESPONDENT RECOURSE, Plaintiff, vs. JOHN C. ALLEVA, ET AL., 10543 PARENT(s) SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RESPONDENT; IF THE COURT DETERMINES THE CHILD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM Defendant(s). HIS/HER HOME, THE COURT MAY ORDER AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NON-RESPONDENT PARENT(s) INNOVATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT LLC Articles Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale SHOULD BE SUITABLE CUSTODIANS FOR THE CHILD; IF THE CHILD IS PLACED AND REMAINS IN FOSTER CARE FOR FIFTEEN OF of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 7/5/2011. Ofduly filed on April 22, 2010, I, the undersigned RefTHE MOST RECENT TWENTY-TWO MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED TO FILE A PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PAfice in Westchester Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC eree will sell at public auction at the Westchester RENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PARENT(s) AND COMMITMENT OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD FOR THE PURPOSES upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall County Courthouse, Lobby, 111 Dr. Martin Luther OF ADOPTION, EVEN IF THE PARENT(s) WERE NOT NAMED AS RESPONDENTS IN THE CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE PROCEEDING. mail copy of process to The LLC 36 Dalewood Dr King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains, NY on SeptemA NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CUSTODY OF THE CHILD AND TO SEEK Hartsdale, NY 10530 Purpose: Any lawful activity ber 20, 2011 at 9:00 a.m., premises known as 104 ENFORCEMENT OF VISITATION RIGHTS WITH THE CHILD. Washington Avenue, White Plains, NY. All that BY ORDER OF THE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Notice of Formation Go Sweat, LLC Arts. of Org. certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildTO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT(S) WHO RESIDE(S) OR IS FOUND AT [specify address(es)]: filed with SSNY 8/5/2011. Off. Loc.: Westchester ings and improvements thereon erected, situLast known address: Antoinette Thompson Cnty. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom proate, lying and being in the Town of North Castle, c/o Sharing Community cess may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: County of Westchester and State of New York, 1 Hudson Street c/o The LLC, P.O. Box 305, Lincolndale, NY 10540. Section 6, Block 7 and Lot 49 formerly known as Yonkers, NY 10701 Purpose: all lawful activities. Lot 49.50. Approximate amount of judgment is The petition under Article 10 of the Family Court Act having been filed with this Court alleging that the above-named children are $530,843.83 plus interest and costs. Premises will Shibumi Capital, LLC Authority filed with Secy. neglected children. be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/4/11. Office location: Index # 1091/08. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this Court at Yonkers Family Court located at 53 So. Broadway, Yonkers, New Westchester Co. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on York, on the 23rd of September, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in the forenoon of said day to answer the petition and to show cause why said W. Whitfield Wells, Esq., Referee 7/15/11 SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon child should not be adjudicated to be a neglected child and why you should not be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Knuckles, Komosinski & Elliott, LLP, 565 Taxter whom process against it may be served. SSNY Article 10 of the Family Court Act. Road, Ste. 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for shall mail process to The LLC 4 Castle Walk ScarsPLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that you have the right to be represented by a lawyer, and if the Court finds you are unable to pay Plaintiff dale, NY 10583. DE address of LLC: 16192 Coastal for a lawyer, you have the right to have a lawyer assigned by the Court. HWY Lewes, DE 19958. Arts. Of Org. filed with DE 229 Bedford-Banksville, LLC Articles of Org. filed NY PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that if you fail to appear at the time and place noted above, the Court will hear and determine the Secy. of State, PO Box 898 Dover, DE 19903. PurSec. of State (SSNY) 7/28/11. Office in Westchester petition as provided by law. pose: Any lawful activity. Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process Dated: July 28, 2011 BY ORDER OF THE COURT may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to ______ /s/ ____________ The LLC 229 Bedford-Banksville Road Bedford, NY CLERK OF THE COURT 10506. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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The Westchester Guardian
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
Carlo Calvi: A One Man Army Declares War on Excess Will Replace Entire City Administration at Lower Wages By SAM ZHERKA “He’s been called a one man army. Some have called him a maverick and others say he is the only man who can save Yonkers. Carlo Calvi, a dedicated husband of 30 years and father of four is declaring war on the political machine with his run for Mayor of the City of Yonkers. He considers himself as a fiscally Conservative Independent Republican and is vying for the Republican Primary designation that will take place on September 13, 2011. “I’m totally independent because I don’t play politics,” said Calvi. “I’m philosophically a Conservative Republican, but I’m not with the party. The mayoral hopeful is 59-years-old who considers himself an old school work horse. He was born and raised in Yonkers. While growing up, he put himself through school working as a pizza delivery boy for Yonkers businessman Santo Agostino. He later landed a job as a consultant for the Archdiocese of New York where he worked for a number of years. Calvi is currently a practicing attorney and civil engineer who over the years built a substantial portfolio of real estate assets; all within the City of Yonkers. During an interview with Calvi, The Westchester Guardian asked why he was running for Mayor of Yonkers? Calvi said: The City is broke and the political process is broken. I was born and raised in Yonkers and my entire life is here. I have all my eggs in this basket. My taxes went from $90,000 ten years ago to over $200,000 today. It’s unsustainable and I’m the only guy running for Mayor with the qualifications to fix it,” said Calvi. In 1980 Calvi was then historically elected the youngest member to the Westchester County Board of Legislators. In 1998 he was elected as Yonkers City Councilman where he served two years. His disgust with politics has kept him out of politics for most of the last decade. “The Spano’s and the Martinelli’s feel its their birth right to be Mayor,” said Calvi, referring to Mike Spano, who is running for Mayor on the Democratic ticket and Richard Martinelli, who is planning to primary Calvi for the Republican ticket on September 13th. “They are expert politicians,” says Calvi. “I am not a politician and I don’t play politics.” Calvi told The Westchester Guardian that he
attributes all the problems we are experiencing today to the political dynasties of the Spano’s and the Martinelli’s which held court over Yonkers and Westchester County politics for decades. “It’s been politics as usual with these guys for over 25 years and that wont change if they’re elected,” said Calvi. Also running against Calvi in the Republican Primary election is current Yonkers City Councilman John Murtagh. Calvi told The Westchester Guardian that John Murtagh has accomplished nothing over his eight year’s tenure as city councilman but raise taxes by 60%. “John Murtagh is clueless and lacks common sense,” said Calvi. The Westchester Independence Party was slated to support Rchard Martinelli for Yonkers Mayor in the early stages of this race until Carlo Calvi appeared in front of the 12-person Independence Party panel screening committee. The Westchester Independence Party Chairman Dr. Giulio Cavallo, told The Westchester Guardian that Calvi was found by the Independence Party Committee most qualified to deal with the problems that face the City of Yonkers. Calvi is an attorney and engineer who has built a rather substantial net worth through real estate enterprise. He understands finance and doesn’t need any political party for support. “That’s what we need,” said Cavallo. “We need more men like Calvi to enter the political arena. Calvi won the endorsement unanimously,” said Cavallo. The Independence Party Committee found John Murtagh unqualified, while Richard Martinelli had no answers for some very important questions. Carlo Calvi vows to vigorously attack crime. “I will hire 100 new police officers immediately at a starting pay equivalent to that of the NYPD which is a 30% discount to that of a new police officer hire In Yonkers,” said Calvi. If elected Mayor, Carlo Calvi promises to take at least a 10% discount in pay from day one. “ The Mayor and the entire administration are overpaid,” said Calvi. “My administration will learn to do more with less instead of the other way around,” said Calvi. He plans to clean house and hold all new commissioners liable for their budgets. “Newly hired commissioners who can not cut the budgets and properly run their departments will be fired immediately,” said Calvi. Calvi told The Westchester Guardian he will hire new department heads outside of
police and fire at substantial discounts to the current rate of pay which he called outrageous. Currently Yonkers commissioners and positions appointed by the mayor are among the highest paid public servants in the State. “We will cut the budget by tens of millions of dollars and if I can’t do it, I will not run for re-election,” declared Calvi. If elected, Calvi told The Westchester Guardian he would ask current County surrogate Judge Anthony Scarpino, to join his administration as the new Police commissioner. Scarpino formerly of Mt Vernon, was a former FBI agent, practicing attorney, Mt Vernon City Court Judge, County Court Judge and now serves as the Westchester County Surrogate Judge. His
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experience as an attorney, former FBI agent, and judge would be unparalleled to any Police Commissioner to ever serve Yonkers. “The first person I will fire will be John Meyer, the Commissioner of Department of Buildings,” said Calvi. “He has hurt more businesses and home owners in this city than any one else,” said Calvi. “He is a tyrant and enjoys abusing his power and financially hurting hard working people.” Current Yonkers Buildings Commissioner John Meyer, has been criticized for years for withholding work permits and stalling construction projects for months and in some cases years, causing irreparable financial harm to many home owners, businesses and contractors. If elected, Calvi threatened to cut cars, gas, and cell phones for City Hall employees. The lights will no longer stay on 24 hours per day in city buildings while closed for business. . We will not hire outside law firms and accounting firms that cost the city millions of dollars per year. “I am dead serious, I will fix Yonkers,” declared Calvi. No matter what they say about Carlo Calvi, some may hate him and some may love, him but everyone who knows him says one thing: “Carlo Calvi is the only man who can fix Yonkers!”
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Page 36
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011
The Westchester Guardian
Join Us for Our 19th Annual Riverfront Festival…
In Cooperation with Mayor Philip Amicone & The City of Yonkers
Presented by Yonkers Downtown Waterfront BID
Saturday, September 10 Yonkers Downtown Non-stop FREE Entertainment for the Whole Family! Live Music • International Foods • Strolling Musicians Arts & Crafts Vendors • Games & Amusements • Street Performers Classic Cars • Petting Zoo • Free Kayaking • Environmental Tours
2011 SPONSORS
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